Page 2 - AN INTRODUCTION TO SURFACE CHEMISTRY By ERIC KEIGHTLEY RIDEAL

PREFACE

By Professor F. G. DONNAN

T HE import.a.nee of an accurate study of the actions, equilibria,
and structures which occur at the interfaces between homo-
geneous phases of matter is widely recognised at the present time.
Thus a knowledge of these matters is required for a proper under-
standing of adsorption, the formation and stability of disperse or
micro-heterogeneous systems (colloid sols and gels), catalysis, enzyme
actions, etc., whilst the progress of research shows more and more
clearly that the phenomena of life, i.e. the behaviour of cells and
tissues, are intimately concerned with the actions occurring at
surfaces, and that the effects produced by drugs, disinfectants, and
other substances which profoundly affect the operation of cells and
micro-organisms are largely due to surface actions.
From the general statistical and thermodynamic point of view, the
scientific theory of surface phenomena was placed on a satisfactory
basis by the researches of J, Willard Gibbs, Sir J. J. 'Thomson, and
J. D, van der Waals. In comparatively recent times the more in-
timate molecular study of the structures and kinetics of surfaces
has advanced very rapidly, thanks more especially to the pioneer
work of Lord Rayleigh, Andre Marcelin, Sir W. B. Hardy and
Irving Langmuir. Our knowledge of this subject has been greatly
increased during the last few years by the excellent work of N. Adam
and of E. K. Rideal. The combined effect of these researches has
been to reveal the existence of a newly recognised so-called " two
dimensional " molecular world, the dynamics of which is analogous
to that of the ordinary " three dimensional " molecular world of
homogeneous phases in bulk, whilst the structure of this " surface
world" presents new phenomena of molecular orientation of the
highest importance for the understanding of great regions of
natural phenomena. The great merit of Dr E. K. Rideal's book
lies in the fact that the author, whilst in no wise neglecting the
thermodynamic treatment and its results, gives a very admirable
account of this more recent and extremely important field of study.