Table of Contents

Preface. 1. Introduction. 2. Liquid Surfaces. 3. Thermodynamics of interfaces. 4. The electric double layer. 5. Effects at charged interfaces. 6. Surface forces. 7. Contact angle phenomena and wetting. 8. Solid surfaces. 9. Adsorption. 10. Surface modification. 11. Friction, lubrication, and wear. 12. Surfactants, micelles, emulsions, and foams. 13. Thin films on surfaces of liquids. 14. Solutions to exercises. Appendix A: Analysis of diffraction patterns. Appendix B: Symbols and Abbreviations. Bibliography. Index.

About the Author

Hans-Jurgen Butt studied physics at the Universities of Hamburg and Gottingen, Germany. Then he went to the Max-Planck-Institute of Biophysics in Frankfurt. After receiving his PhD in 1989 he went as a postdoc to Santa Barbara, California, and learned using the newly developed atomic force microscope. From 1990-95 he worked as a researcher back in Germany at the Max-Planck-Institute for Biophysics. In 1996 he became associate professor at the University of Mainz. Three years later he moved to Siegen to become full professor for physical chemistry. Only two years later he joined the Max-Planck-Institute for Polymer Research in Mainz. Karlheinz Graf studied chemistry at the Universities of Erlangen and Mainz, Germany. After receiving his PhD in physical chemistry in 1997, he went as a postdoc to Santa Barbara, California working on physicochemical aspects of myelin and lung surfactant. Back in Mainz he investigated nanostructured lipopolymer films. Scince 2001 he is working on model systems for microsystem technology in the group of Hans-Jurgen Butt at the University of Siegen and the Max-Planck-Institute for Polymer Research. Michael Kappl studied physics at the University of Regensburg and the Technical University of Munich. He finished his PhD at the Max-Planck-Institute of Biophysics in Frankfurt/Main in 1996. From 1997 - 1998 he did one and a half years of postdoctoral research at the University of Mainz in the group of Hans-Jurgen Butt. From 1998-2000 he worked as a IT consultant at Pallas Soft AG, Regensburg. In 2000, he rejoined the group of HansJurgen Butt at the University of Siegen. Since the end of 2002 he is project leader at the Max-Planck-Institute for Polymer Research in Mainz.

Reviews

..."a general yet comprehensive introduction to surface and interface science..." ("Materials World, Vol 12(2), Feb 2004)