adsortion

Adsortion is a physical process in which molecules, atoms, or particles adhere to the surface of a material, resulting in a concentration of the adsorbed species on the surface rather than within the bulk of the material. This phenomenon is distinct from absorption, where substances penetrate into the interior of a material. Adsorption occurs due to various intermolecular forces, including van der Waals forces, electrostatic interactions, and chemical bonds, depending on the nature of the adsorbate and adsorbent.

There are two primary types of adsorption: physisorption and chemisorption. Physisorption involves weak van der Waals forces and is typically reversible, occurring at lower temperatures. Chemisorption involves the formation of stronger chemical bonds, which are often irreversible or require significant energy to reverse. The process is widely utilized in industrial and environmental applications such as water purification, catalysis, gas cleanup, and sensor technology.

The extent of adsorption can be described by adsorption isotherms, such as the Langmuir and Freundlich models, which relate the amount of adsorbed substance to its concentration in the surrounding medium at a constant temperature. Factors influencing adsorption include temperature, pressure, surface area of the adsorbent, and the nature of the adsorbate and adsorbent.

In summary, adsortion is a fundamental process with significant implications across chemistry, environmental science, and engineering, facilitating removal, detection, and catalytic processes by leveraging surface interactions between molecules and materials.