Influence of wall proximity on the equilibrium temperature of curved interfaces

Abstract

Equilibrium conditions of a single-component two-phase-system having a plane or a concave interface interacting with a solid wall are the major focus of the paper. The concave interface is termed “closed”, if it forms a vapour bubble, and “opened”, in the case of a common liquid meniscus. The equations derived describe the equilibrium temperature in dependence of the wall distance and the interfacial curvature. They show that an attraction between the vapour-liquid interface and the wall rises the equilibrium temperature. At comparable conditions, the equilibrium temperature is higher for the closed than for the opened interface.