Surfactants adsoprtion at hydrophobic and superhydrophobic solid surfaces

The adsorption properties of surfactant molecules at solid surfaces with different degrees of hydrophobicity have been reviewed together with original research data in case of superhydrophobic surface coatings, with a water contact angle (CA) close to or greater than 150o, in both liquid-air and liquid-liquid systems. The studies of the adsorption properties of amphiphiles on water repellent solid surfaces, especially in conditions of extreme hydrophobicity, have recently attracted great interest both from fundamental and applied points of view. The nature of the amphiphilic molecules and the substrate surface topography also play important roles in research and technological fields where the spreading control of the amphiphiles solutions is influenced by the distribution properties of the surfactant between two immiscible phases.