5. Surface energy of liquid alloys – Thermodynamic models

The surface energy of a metal A can be modified by a metallic solute B if this solute adsorbs onto the surface of A. If the surface is represented by an atomic monolayer, adsorption is quantified by the enrichment coefficientY _B /X _B , equal to the ratio between the molar fractions of B in the monolayer (Y _B ) and inside the liquid (X _B ) (with Y _A +Y _B = X _A +X _B = 1). This coefficient, along with the surface energy of the binary alloy AB, can be calculated using the regular solution model describing atomic interactions in the liquid...