Physical chemistry of mixtures and interfaces - 3PMMPMI8

Goal(s)

• Study the thermodynamics of liquid and solid mixtures and the chemical reactions involving these mixtures. Applications to practical cases.
• Describe the structure and morphology of surfaces and interfaces.
• Understand the basic concepts that govern the mechanical and physico-chemical equilibra of the systems involving interfaces. Application to wettability and adhesion.
• Present some aspects of the joint involvement of thermodynamics and physico-chemistry of surfaces and interfaces in the study of small systems. Application to homogeneous and heterogeneous germination.

Content(s)

Introduction: The physicochemistry at Phelma

1. Mixtures and chemical reactions:
Solid and liquid solutions.
Reminders on the molar and partial molar thermodynamic quantities of mixtures, application to binary mixtures.
Activity in mixtures, reference state.
Solution models - description in pair interaction. Ideal, regular, diluted solutions.
Thermodynamics of chemical reactions involving liquid and/or solid solutions. Applications to some cases of practical interest.

2. Generalities on surfaces, interfaces and interphases:
Introduction
The surface and its defects.
Adsorption.
Evaluation of the energy of a solid/vapor surface.
Interfaces, interphases.

3. Mechanical and physico-chemical equilibrium of systems comprising interfaces:
Equivalence between surface tension and surface energy of a liquid.
Mechanical equilibrium of a heterogeneous system.
Evolution of a system comprising plane interfaces. Equilibrium shape of a crystal.
Interfacial energy and segregation in binary systems.

4. Wettability and adhesion:
Fundamental of wetting equations.
Adhesion work.
Applications: Capillary rise. Shape of drops (capillary forces versus gravitational forces).
Wetting of real surfaces: effect of roughness and heterogeneity

5. Thermodynamics of small systems (involving interfaces):
Gibbs-Thomson relation and applications: Modification of saturation vapor pressure and melting temperature of a pure substance. Increase in solubility of a small crystal of a pure substance in a liquid solution.
Thermodynamics associated with nucleation: Homogeneous nucleation. Heterogeneous nucleation. Applications.

Concepts and tools of basic thermodynamics