3. Thermodynamic and energetic approach to a surface
3.1 Surface energy and surface tension
On several occasions in the foregoing, we have referred to surface energy, also known as surface energy or specific surface work. This is a very important quantity, used in surface thermodynamics.
Surface energy corresponds to the "excess" free energy that must be supplied to the area A of a given surface, to increase it by an increment (or increase) dA, taking into account the need to rebalance surface atomic bonds and assuming that the temperature, volume of the solid and number of constituents (in the sense of the phase rule) remain constant.
This energy is expressed in joules per square meter (J · m –2 ), but...
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Thermodynamic and energetic approach to a surface
Industrial surfaces and their practical characterization
