Image Forces at a Mercury-Aqueous Electrolyte Interface

Abstract

The existence of Coulombie repulsive forces on the ions at an air-aqueous electrolyte interface has long been recognized. The surface tensión of dilute Solutions can be successfully predicted on the basis of these forces alone. For more concentrated solutions, it has to beassumed that an ion-free layer is present at the surface and the surface tension values, predicted using a model in which both effects are taken into account, agree remarkably well with the experimental values. In the present paper, the theory is extended to the uncharged Hg-aqueous electrolyte interface where attractive forces are present on the ions.