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Axisymmetric fluid-liquid interfaces
394
BOOK REVIEWS
in the appropriate chapters when they recall that Scatchard was one of the first scientists to apply the results of the work of Gibbs and Debye to the study of proteins in solutions. "Surface and Colloid Chemistry," in which all references are deliberately omitted by the author, is recommended only to those whose exclusive purpose is the understanding of a particular historical point of view. All contemporary texts in these areas not only include the subject matter covered here, but also present a good deal of the approximately 30 years of rapid growth and developments, some of them basic, which have occurred since Scatchard's notes were current. One cannot predict a very wide circulation for a book of this nature on the merits of its contents alone, quite aside from its extraordinarily high cost. GEOROE L. JONES, JR. Department of Chemistry Clarkson College Potsdam, New York
Axisymmetric Fluid-Liquid Interfaces. By Stanley Hartland and Richard W. Hartley. Elsevier, Amsterdam/New York. 782 pp. $66.75.
During the last two decades or so, we have witnessed a renewed interest in the theory and practice of capillarity, particularly as it relates to the equilibrium shape of fluid interfaces. This vigor can be accounted for entirely by the advent and, by now, general availability of the electronic computer, which has reduced the effort involved in the tedious and repetitive numerical calculations by many orders of magnitude. What took several years in the "old" days (e.g., the famous and still unchallenged Bashforth and Adams tables of 1883), can now often b e accomplished in a matter of hours, once the computer program has been written. In the present work, Drs. Hartiand and Hartley, after an introductory chapter on axisymmetric interfaces, present detailed numerical results on the shape of the following systems: sessile drops (Chapter 2); pendant drops (Chapter 3); unbounded, "external" menisci (Chapter 4); and fluid drops at fluid-liquid interfaces (Chapter 5). The effect of an applied force in the form of a horizontal plate pushing a drop into an interface is also analyzed and evaluated for the various drop types (Chapter 6). The results are applied to the determination of interracial tensions and contact angles from the size and shape of sessile and pendant drops (Chapter 8). Approximate solutions, applicable to various limiting conditions, are discussed in Chapter 9. The numerical methods are given in Chapter 10, which includes a comparison of the present numerical results with those obtained previously by other investi-
gators. The two-dimensional analogs of all axisymmetric systems considered are discussed in Chapter 7 and in a Supplement. Each chapter starts off with a thorough analysis of the problem at hand, followed by a bibliography and a presentation of the numerical results in both tabular and graphical form. The capillary constant is used as the unit of length throughout. It must be stressed that there is nothing particularly novel in this book. All systems have been treated in the past in more or less detail by many investigators. On the other hand, it is useful and convenient to have these data collected in a single volume and in a standardized form. I t should be pointed out that the authors have not simply reprinted or converted existing tables but have recalculated all profiles, using numerical methods that appear sound and accurate. In those cases where their results deviate from the literature, it is safe to assume that the new values are the more reliable. The new tables also generally cover a wider range of values of the physical parameters that determine the shape. Although it is practically impossible to be complete in an endeavor of this kind, or to make an objective judgment of what should be covered, one can argue that some of the space in this book could have been better utilized. The chapters on the effect of an applied force and on two-dimensional systems are of little practical value, whereas other problems of greater or equal importance are completely ignored. Examples are the shape of rotating fluid drops and menisci, lenses, liquid bridges between solid surfaces, solid spheres at fluid interfaces, menisci in annular gaps, etc. Also, such classical axisymmetric shapes as nodoids, unduloids, and catenoids are not mentioned at all. A discussion of these systems, with appropriate references, would have enhanced the general appeal of this book and would have done more justice to its broad title. Another slight shortcoming is the virtual absence of reference to previous work in the text of most chapters, although the most pertinent references are listed in the bibliographies. As one of the reasons for writing this book, the authors mention the fact that the Bashforth and Adams tables are out of print, without indicating that most of these have been reissued by Padday ("Surface and Colloid Science," (E. Matijevic, Ed.), Vol. 1, Interscience, New York, 1969). This book is undoubtedly of value as a standard reference to those scientists directly involved in capillarity. I t is thorough, meticulous, and well written, and contains surprisingly few typographical errors. Its somewhat limited coverage of the area and its price may deter the individual scientist, however.
Journal of Colloid and Interface Science, Vol. 59, No. 2, April 1977
I-I. M . PRINCEN
Lever Brothers Research Center Edgewater, New Jersey 07020
BOOK REVIEWS
in the appropriate chapters when they recall that Scatchard was one of the first scientists to apply the results of the work of Gibbs and Debye to the study of proteins in solutions. "Surface and Colloid Chemistry," in which all references are deliberately omitted by the author, is recommended only to those whose exclusive purpose is the understanding of a particular historical point of view. All contemporary texts in these areas not only include the subject matter covered here, but also present a good deal of the approximately 30 years of rapid growth and developments, some of them basic, which have occurred since Scatchard's notes were current. One cannot predict a very wide circulation for a book of this nature on the merits of its contents alone, quite aside from its extraordinarily high cost. GEOROE L. JONES, JR. Department of Chemistry Clarkson College Potsdam, New York
Axisymmetric Fluid-Liquid Interfaces. By Stanley Hartland and Richard W. Hartley. Elsevier, Amsterdam/New York. 782 pp. $66.75.
During the last two decades or so, we have witnessed a renewed interest in the theory and practice of capillarity, particularly as it relates to the equilibrium shape of fluid interfaces. This vigor can be accounted for entirely by the advent and, by now, general availability of the electronic computer, which has reduced the effort involved in the tedious and repetitive numerical calculations by many orders of magnitude. What took several years in the "old" days (e.g., the famous and still unchallenged Bashforth and Adams tables of 1883), can now often b e accomplished in a matter of hours, once the computer program has been written. In the present work, Drs. Hartiand and Hartley, after an introductory chapter on axisymmetric interfaces, present detailed numerical results on the shape of the following systems: sessile drops (Chapter 2); pendant drops (Chapter 3); unbounded, "external" menisci (Chapter 4); and fluid drops at fluid-liquid interfaces (Chapter 5). The effect of an applied force in the form of a horizontal plate pushing a drop into an interface is also analyzed and evaluated for the various drop types (Chapter 6). The results are applied to the determination of interracial tensions and contact angles from the size and shape of sessile and pendant drops (Chapter 8). Approximate solutions, applicable to various limiting conditions, are discussed in Chapter 9. The numerical methods are given in Chapter 10, which includes a comparison of the present numerical results with those obtained previously by other investi-
gators. The two-dimensional analogs of all axisymmetric systems considered are discussed in Chapter 7 and in a Supplement. Each chapter starts off with a thorough analysis of the problem at hand, followed by a bibliography and a presentation of the numerical results in both tabular and graphical form. The capillary constant is used as the unit of length throughout. It must be stressed that there is nothing particularly novel in this book. All systems have been treated in the past in more or less detail by many investigators. On the other hand, it is useful and convenient to have these data collected in a single volume and in a standardized form. I t should be pointed out that the authors have not simply reprinted or converted existing tables but have recalculated all profiles, using numerical methods that appear sound and accurate. In those cases where their results deviate from the literature, it is safe to assume that the new values are the more reliable. The new tables also generally cover a wider range of values of the physical parameters that determine the shape. Although it is practically impossible to be complete in an endeavor of this kind, or to make an objective judgment of what should be covered, one can argue that some of the space in this book could have been better utilized. The chapters on the effect of an applied force and on two-dimensional systems are of little practical value, whereas other problems of greater or equal importance are completely ignored. Examples are the shape of rotating fluid drops and menisci, lenses, liquid bridges between solid surfaces, solid spheres at fluid interfaces, menisci in annular gaps, etc. Also, such classical axisymmetric shapes as nodoids, unduloids, and catenoids are not mentioned at all. A discussion of these systems, with appropriate references, would have enhanced the general appeal of this book and would have done more justice to its broad title. Another slight shortcoming is the virtual absence of reference to previous work in the text of most chapters, although the most pertinent references are listed in the bibliographies. As one of the reasons for writing this book, the authors mention the fact that the Bashforth and Adams tables are out of print, without indicating that most of these have been reissued by Padday ("Surface and Colloid Science," (E. Matijevic, Ed.), Vol. 1, Interscience, New York, 1969). This book is undoubtedly of value as a standard reference to those scientists directly involved in capillarity. I t is thorough, meticulous, and well written, and contains surprisingly few typographical errors. Its somewhat limited coverage of the area and its price may deter the individual scientist, however.
Journal of Colloid and Interface Science, Vol. 59, No. 2, April 1977
I-I. M . PRINCEN
Lever Brothers Research Center Edgewater, New Jersey 07020