Surface forces and wetting phenomena

Conditions for thermodynamic equilibrium of liquid drops on solid substrates are presented. It is shown that if surface force (disjoining/conjoining Derjaguin pressure) action in a vicinity of the three-phase contact line is taken into account the condition of thermodynamic equilibrium is duly satisfied. Then the thermodynamic expressions for equilibrium contact angles of drops on solid substrates and menisci in thin capillaries are expressed in terms of the corresponding Derjaguin isotherm. It is shown that equilibrium contact angles of drops vary significantly depending on the vapour pressure in the ambient atmosphere, while there is a single, unique equilibrium contact angle in thin capillaries. It is also shown that the static advancing contact angle of a drop depends on its volume, in agreement with experimental data. In the case of menisci in capillaries, the expression for the receding contact angle is deduced, with results that are also in agreement with known experimental data.