Anisotropic molecules forming a monomolecular layer on a strongly adhesive substrate: a scaled particle treatment

Abstract

Long chain fatty acids and large, rigid, aromatic molecules form a monomolecular layer on the surface of clean mercury. The surface pressure isotherms of these systems have been measured previously. In this paper, the scaled particle theory is applied to such monolayers with a number of simplifying assumptions. With a single adjustable parameter, the interaction of the molecules with the substrate and the general features of the surface pressure isotherms of the long chain fatty acids, anthracene, naphthalene, and cholesterol at intermediate liquid densities are fairly well reproduced.