Introduction
There are many processes which are predominated by dynamic interfacial properties: technical operations such as emulsification, coating, foaming, extraction, flotation, and detergency or physiological phenomena like breathing, cell biology, and membrane technology are examples. All the mentioned phenomena are characterised essentially by time dependent interfacial properties. All of these processes and phenomena are somehow controlled by surface active compounds.
The basic idea for a deeper understanding of all the summarised points is the investigation of the thermodynamics and the way how to reach this equilibrium interfacial state.
Thermodynamics of interfacial layers represents a kind of base line while the dynamic and mechanical properties express the non-equilibrium interfacial behaviour. These properties can be understood in terms of different adsorption models taking into consideration transport by diffusion and aggregations in the bulk, and rearrangements, 2D- aggregations, and interactions of surface active molecules at the interface.
For mixed systems, interaction in the bulk phase and competitive adsorption at the interface are additional aspects to be understood. Proteins form different types of aggregates with surfactants, the interfacial properties of which deviate typically very much from those of the original components. Also nano-particles adsorbed together with surface active molecules are systems of practical relevance. Thus, we dedicate presently much work on these systems too.
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