Entropy studies in interface science: An ageless tool

It is possible to obtain (excess) interfacial entropies from the temperature dependence of some characteristic surface parameter. Such excess entropies contain much valuable information. Their studies lead to deeper insight into the interfacial properties. In some cases, quite unexpected results are obtained. In the present paper, we shall consider three illustrations: (1) the surface excess entropy of the electrical double layer on silver iodide, (2) the surface excess entropy of the interface between air and electrolyte solutions and (3) the surface excess entropy of Langmuir polymeric monolayers. Their analysis starts with defining this characteristic parameter and measuring its temperature dependence, followed by a brief thermodynamic analysis to obtain the sought entropy. Given the generality of this methodology, its applicability is likely to be extended to a variety of other interfacial properties, in particular when competition between electric and non-electric forces plays a role as in self-assembly, hydrophobic bonding and polyelectrolytes.