HYDROPHOBIC FORCES IN THIN LIQUID-FILMS - ADSORPTION CONTRIBUTION

The contribution of adsorption to the hydrophobic forces in a thin liq uid film is considered. It is shown that the corresponding disjoining pressure component depends exponentially on the film thickness. Expres sions for both the magnitude and decay length of this force are propos ed in terms of well-known thermodynamic characteristics. Comparison of the theory to existing experimental results confirms the importance o f the adsorption component to the hydrophobic interaction.