Wetting of Real Surfaces

The revealing of the phenomenon of superhydrophobicity (the "lotus-effect") has stimulated an interest in wetting of real (rough and chemically heterogeneous) surfaces. In spite of the fact that wetting has been exposed to intensive research for more than 200 years, there still is a broad field open for theoretical and experimental research, including recently revealed superhydrophobic, superoleophobic and superhydrophilic surfaces, so-called liquid marbles, wetting transitions, etc. This book integrates all these aspects within a general framework of wetting of real surfaces, where physical and chemical heterogeneity is essential.

Wetting of rough/heterogeneous surfaces is discussed through the use of the variational approach developed recently by the author. It allows natural and elegant grounding of main equations describing wetting of solid surfaces, i.e. Young, Wenzel and Cassie-Baxter equations. The problems of superhydrophobicity, wetting transitions and contact angle hysteresis are discussed in much detail, in view of novel models and new experimental data.

E. Bormashenko, Ariel University Center of Samaria.

"Although the book is not primarily meant for mathematicians, all mathematicians concerned with modelling some aspects of wetting will benefit from this book that can be used as a guide to understand the physical mechanisms behind wetting." Mathematical Reviews

"[…] it [the book] is an easily accessible text, treating real surfaces as the title promises. It will be very useful for practicing colloid chemists in industrial research and development, in addition to serving as an excellent text for advanced undergraduate and graduate studies. In fact, my spontaneous reaction to the book was: "I wish it had been available 50-60 years ago, when I was a young graduate student." […] I urgently recommend this book to professionals in both academia and industry." Stig E. Friberg, Journal of Dispersion Science and Technology, 2015