Fundamentals of Surface Thermodynamics

Interfacial phenomena play a crucial role in various industrial processes and daily operations. These phenomena are related to the formation of emulsions and foams, adsorption on solid and fluid interfaces, wettability alteration, and others that strongly impact the quality and cost of products and processes. Understanding the interfacial phenomena encompasses inexorably the description of surface thermodynamics and the assessment of thermodynamic properties. The book Fundamentals of Surface Thermodynamics introduces the basics of the thermodynamics of interface from a perspective of chemical engineering thermodynamics and surface chemistry. It provides insights into real-life phenomena, emphasizing the practical significance of abstract properties routinely dealt with by scientists and engineers. The book is tailored for both graduate and undergraduate courses in chemistry and engineering schools. The book content is particularly beneficial for industry professionals involved in oil & gas, fluid transportation, nanotechnology, and other operations with multiphase complex systems, where the process effectiveness is affected by interfacial phenomena.
The Fundamentals of Surface Thermodynamics brings a comprehensive description of colloidal science, ranging from conventional surfactant applications to responsive systems and nanomaterials applied to life science. The author invites the reader on a journey into the fascinating world where small-dimension entities breathe. The book aims to inspire students and professionals to delve deep into the intricacies of interface thermodynamics, thereby contributing to supporting education activities and enabling industrial solutions.

Dr. Ronaldo Gonçalves dos Santos earned degree in chemical engineering (2000) from the Federal University of Bahia (UFBA). He completed both the Master's degree (2003) and Ph.D. (2007) in Chemical Engineering at the State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), investigating interfacial phenomena involved in crude oil disperse systems. He held a Postdoctoral Researcher position (2007-2008) at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), working on the extraction and characterization of asphaltene subfractions. In 2009-2013, he held a Research Scientist position in the Centre for Petroleum Studies of UNICAMP. In 2011, Dr. Santos joined as a faculty member of the Chemical Engineering department of FEI (São Paulo, Brazil), where he has a position of Associate Professor with lectures in chemical engineering thermodynamics. His primary research areas are: (1) the interfacial properties of self-associative systems, mainly crude oil fractions and their impacts on the recovery and production activities in oilfields, and (2) renewable processes for producing biofuel and sustainable energies. His investigations comprise phase behavior and interfacial rheology of amphiphiles, including the self-association phenomena. Dr. Santos has also investigated the thermal behavior of heavy oils and their SARA fractions, looking for kinetic parameters from oil combustion reactions to assist the application of in-situ combustion as enhanced recovery method, and multiphase flow of oilcarbon dioxide-water systems in porous media for application in miscible recovery methods. Dr. Santos has devoted an intense effort to studies related to the conversion of biomass and residues into fuels, chemicals, and clean energy, focusing on thermal degradation methods and bio-oil fractionation.