YoungDupréekvationen

The Young-Dupré equation is a fundamental concept in surface science and describes the equilibrium contact angle of a liquid on a solid surface. It is derived from the principle of minimizing the total surface free energy of the system. The equation relates the contact angle to the surface tensions of the solid-liquid interface, the solid-vapor interface, and the liquid-vapor interface.

Specifically, the Young-Dupré equation is expressed as:

γsv = γsl + γlv * cos(θ)

where γsv is the surface tension between the solid and the vapor, γsl is the surface tension between the solid and the liquid, γlv is the surface tension between the liquid and the vapor, and θ is the contact angle.

This equation is crucial for understanding phenomena such as wetting, adhesion, and the spreading of liquids on surfaces. It is widely used in fields ranging from materials science and chemical engineering to biology and medicine, aiding in the design of coatings, adhesives, and biocompatible materials. Variations and extensions of the Young-Dupré equation have been developed to account for more complex scenarios, such as rough or chemically heterogeneous surfaces.