Adsorption onto Membrane Surfaces

Adsorption onto membrane surface is the accumulation of gases, liquids, or solutes to form a thin film on membrane surface. In adsorption, the adsorbate is attracted to the surface of adsorbent, but does not enter its molecular spaces. As a surface phenomenon, adsorption is a consequence of surface energy. Adsorption is similar to adhesion and absorption, but there exist differences between them. Generally, compared to adhesion, adsorption is looser interaction between unlike substances. Adsorption is a surface-based process, while absorption involves the whole volume of the material. The exact bonding nature of adsorption depends on the details of the species involved, but the adsorption process is generally classified as physical adsorption and chemical adsorption. The physical adsorption is attributed to the non-covalent interaction such as van der Waals force, electrostatic attraction, etc. The chemical adsorption features the formation of covalent bonding between adsorbate and...