Capillary effects of surfactants at curved interfaces

The influence of surfactant on the solvent vapour pressure and equilibrium states in open capillary systems has been considered both in the presence a nd absence of gravity. The relationships have been derived describing a cha nge in vapour pressure in the course of surfactant adsorption in closed one -phase and two-phase capillary systems. The stability conditions for such s ystems are discussed as related to surface tension, surface elasticity, sur factant adsorption and concentration, and the interfacial curvature. (C) 20 00 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.