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<title>Interface (matter)</title>
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<span id="openzim-page-title" class="mw-page-title-main"><span class="mw-page-title-main">Interface (matter)</span></span>
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<p>In the <a href="Outline_of_physical_science" title="Outline of physical science">physical sciences</a>, an <b>interface</b> is the boundary between two spatial regions occupied by different <a href="Matter" title="Matter">matter</a>, or by matter in different <a href="Physical_state" class="mw-redirect" title="Physical state">physical states</a>. The interface between matter and <a href="Air" class="mw-redirect" title="Air">air</a>, or matter and <a href="Vacuum" title="Vacuum">vacuum</a>, is called a <b>surface</b>, and studied in <a href="Surface_science" title="Surface science">surface science</a>. In <a href="Thermal_equilibrium" title="Thermal equilibrium">thermal equilibrium</a>, the regions in contact are called <a href="Phase_(matter)" title="Phase (matter)">phases</a>, and the interface is called a <a href="Phase_boundary" title="Phase boundary">phase boundary</a>. An example for an interface out of equilibrium is the <a href="Grain_boundary" title="Grain boundary">grain boundary</a> in <a href="Polycrystalline" class="mw-redirect" title="Polycrystalline">polycrystalline</a> matter.
</p><p>The importance of the interface depends on the type of system: the bigger the quotient area/volume, the greater the effect the interface will have. Consequently, interfaces are very important in systems with large interface area-to-volume ratios, such as <a href="Colloid" title="Colloid">colloids</a>.
</p><p>Interfaces can be flat or curved. For example, <a href="Oil" title="Oil">oil</a> droplets in a <a href="Salad_dressing" title="Salad dressing">salad dressing</a> are spherical but the interface between water and air in a glass of water is mostly flat.
</p><p><a href="Surface_tension" title="Surface tension">Surface tension</a> is the physical property which rules interface processes involving liquids. For a liquid film on flat surfaces, the liquid-vapor interface keeps flat to minimize interfacial area and system <a href="Thermodynamic_free_energy" title="Thermodynamic free energy">free energy</a>. For a liquid film on rough surfaces, the <a href="Surface_tension" title="Surface tension">surface tension</a> tends to keep the <a href="Meniscus_(liquid)" title="Meniscus (liquid)">meniscus</a> flat, while the <a href="Disjoining_pressure" title="Disjoining pressure">disjoining pressure</a> makes the film conformal to the substrate. The equilibrium meniscus shape is a result of the competition between the <a href="Capillary_pressure" title="Capillary pressure">capillary pressure</a> and disjoining pressure.<sup id="cite_ref-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-1"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>1<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup>
</p><p>Interfaces may cause various <a href="Optical_phenomena" class="mw-redirect" title="Optical phenomena">optical phenomena</a>, such as <a href="Refraction" title="Refraction">refraction</a>. <a href="Lens_(optics)" class="mw-redirect" title="Lens (optics)">Optical lenses</a> serve as an example of a practical application of the interface between <a href="Glass" title="Glass">glass</a> and air.
</p><p>One topical interface system is the gas-liquid interface between <a href="Aerosols" class="mw-redirect" title="Aerosols">aerosols</a> and other atmospheric molecules.
</p>
<div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="See_also">See also</h2></div>
<ul><li><a href="Capillary_surface" title="Capillary surface">Capillary surface</a>, a surface that represents the boundary between two fluids</li>
<li><a href="Disjoining_pressure" title="Disjoining pressure">Disjoining pressure</a></li>
<li><a href="Free_surface" title="Free surface">Free surface</a></li>
<li><a href="Interface_and_colloid_science" title="Interface and colloid science">Interface and colloid science</a></li>
<li><a href="Membrane" title="Membrane">Membrane</a></li>
<li><a href="Surface_phenomenon" class="mw-redirect" title="Surface phenomenon">Surface phenomenon</a></li></ul>
<div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="References">References</h2></div>
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</style><cite id="CITEREFHuWeinbergerSun2014" class="citation journal cs1">Hu, Han; Weinberger, Christopher R.; <a href="Ying_Sun_(mechanical_engineer)" title="Ying Sun (mechanical engineer)">Sun, Ying</a> (2014-11-17). "Effect of Nanostructures on the Meniscus Shape and Disjoining Pressure of Ultrathin Liquid Film". <i><a href="Nano_Letters" title="Nano Letters">Nano Letters</a></i>. <b>14</b> (12). American Chemical Society (ACS): <span class="nowrap">7131–</span>7137. <a href="Bibcode_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="Bibcode (identifier)">Bibcode</a>:<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2014NanoL..14.7131H">2014NanoL..14.7131H</a>. <a href="Doi_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="Doi (identifier)">doi</a>:<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://doi.org/10.1021%2Fnl5037066">10.1021/nl5037066</a>. <a href="ISSN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISSN (identifier)">ISSN</a>&nbsp;<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://search.worldcat.org/issn/1530-6984">1530-6984</a>. <a href="PMID_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="PMID (identifier)">PMID</a>&nbsp;<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25394305">25394305</a>.</cite></span>
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