Relaxation of the surface properties of aqueous solutions of surfactants and the mechanism of adsorption

The results of experimental studies of the dynamic surface tension and of the nonequilibrium surface electric potential of aqueous solutions of surfactants at various concentrations and temperatures are reviewed. Special aspects of the changes in these quantities as a function of the surface area are analysed. An equation of the thermodynamics of irreversible processes which relates the nonequilibrium properties of the surface to the adsorption and a correlation expression which relates the changes in surface tension to those in the surface potential are discussed. Methods of determining the adsorption mechanism are described. The bibliography includes 65 references.