DETERMINATION OF THE NUCLEUS-TO-SURROUNDINGS INTERFACIAL-TENSIONS ANDTHE LINE TENSION OF LENTICULAR NUCLEI FORMED FROM INSOLUBLE MONOLAYERS AT THE AIR-WATER-INTERFACE
U. Retter et al., DETERMINATION OF THE NUCLEUS-TO-SURROUNDINGS INTERFACIAL-TENSIONS ANDTHE LINE TENSION OF LENTICULAR NUCLEI FORMED FROM INSOLUBLE MONOLAYERS AT THE AIR-WATER-INTERFACE, Langmuir, 12(16), 1996, pp. 3976-3979
The experimental surface pressure dependence of the stationary nucleat
ion rate for methyl stearate monolayers at the air-water interface has
been obtained from the monolayer relaxation experiments at constant s
urface pressure. This dependence can be well described by a theoretica
l model which takes into account formation of 3D lenticular nuclei fro
m a supersaturated insoluble monolayer (2D-3D transition) at the air-w
ater interface. Nonlinear regression analysis yields the nucleus-to-su
rroundings tensions, the line tension, and the limiting nucleation rat
e for infinite supersaturation. Furthermore, the surface pressure depe
ndence of the following quantities is obtained: the two contact angles
, the critical size and radius of the nucleus, as well as the free ene
rgy of formation of the critical nucleus.