CHAPTER

3 Surface Chemistry

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Recap Notes

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Surface chemistry : It deals with Its rate is high in Its rate remains

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phenomena that occur at the surfaces or the beginning and same throughout

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interfaces. then decreases the process.
Adsorption : It is the process of accumulation till equilibrium is

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attained.
of molecular species at the surface rather

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than in the bulk of a solid or liquid. Desorption : The process of removing an

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adsorbed substance from the surface.
Adsorbate : The molecular species or
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substance, which concentrates or accumulates Sorption : The term used when both absorption
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at the surface. and adsorption occur simultaneously.

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Adsorbent : The material on the surface of ∆G, ∆H and ∆S all are – ve for adsorption.
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which the adsorption takes place.
Types of adsorption : Depending on forces
Distinction between adsorption
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which hold the adsorbate on the surface of

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and absorption
adsorbent, adsorption is divided into two
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Adsorption Absorption classes :

It is a surface It is a bulk X Physical adsorption : When the
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phenomenon, i.e., phenomenon, i.e., particles are held to the surface by

it occurs only at occurs throughout
the physical forces like van der Waals’
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the surface of the the body of the

adsorbent. material. forces, the adsorption is called physical
adsorption or physisorption.
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In this phenomenon, In this

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the concentration phenomenon, the X Chemical adsorption : When the

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on the surface of concentration is particles are held to the surface by the

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adsorbent is different same throughout chemical forces or by chemical bonds, the

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from that in the the material. adsorption is called chemical adsorption

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bulk. or chemisorption.
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Differences between physisorption and chemisorption

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Property Physisorption Chemisorption

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Enthalpy Low enthalpy, is of the order of High enthalpy, is of the order of

20-40 kJ mol–1 80-240 kJ mol–1
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Reversibility Reversible process Irreversible process

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 48 CBSE Board Term-II Chemistry Class-12

Effect of With the increase in temperature, Chemisorption first increases with

temperature extent of adsorption decreases because temperature upto a certain extent and
adsorption is an exothermic process then decreases. A gas adsorbed at low
and kinetic energy of gas molecules temperature by physical adsorption
increases with temperature. may change into chemisorption at
high temperature.
Selectivity Not selective in nature. Does not Highly selective in nature.
depend upon the chemical properties
of adsorbent.

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Nature and The extent of adsorption depends The state of adsorbed molecules may

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state of upon the ease of liquefaction of the be different from that in the bulk.
adsorbate gas.

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Activation No appreciable energy needed High activation energy needed

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energy
Pressure I n c r e a s e i n p r e s s u r e i n c r e a s e s Increase in pressure decreases

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adsorption adsorption
Layers Multimolecular layer Mono-molecular layer

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Factors affecting adsorption of gases x

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For low pressure, ∝p
on solids : m

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X Nature of adsorbent : Greater the x
For high pressure, ∝ p0

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strained forces on the surface, more is the
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ease with which adsorption takes place For intermediate pressures, ∝ p1/ n (n > 1)
on the surface. The activated adsorbents m
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have high adsorbing power.
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X Surface area of adsorbent : Greater

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the surface area, more is the adsorption.

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X Nature of gas being adsorbed : Easily

liquefiable gases like NH3, HCl, Cl2, SO2,
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CO2, etc. (whose critical temperature is

high) are adsorbed to greater extent.
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X Pressure : At constant temperature, log = log k + log p

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adsorption increases with increase in
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pressure. The effect of pressure is large at

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low temperature.
Temperature : Since adsorption is
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an exothermic process so according to

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Le Chatelier’s principle adsorption

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decreases with increase in temperature.

Similarly, for adsorption of solutes from
Freundlich adsorption isotherm :
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x x
The plot of vs pressure at constant
solutions, = k . C1 / n where, C is the
m m
equilibrium concentration, i.e., when
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temperature is called Freundlich adsorption

isotherm, adsorption is complete.
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where, m = mass of the adsorbent, x = x

mass of the adsorbate Plot of log vs log C is linear.
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 Surface Chemistry 49

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Properties of colloidal solutions :

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Positively Negatively
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X Colligative properties : Colloids charged sols charged sols
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show colligative properties like relative Hydrated metallic Metallic particles,

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lowering of vapour pressure, elevation oxides, e.g., e.g., Cu, Ag, Au

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of boiling point, etc. and magnitude of Al2O3 xH2O, Metal sulphides,

colligative properties of colloids is much Fe2O3 xH2O, metal e.g., As2S3, CdS,
hydroxides, e.g.,
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Acidic dyes like

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less than true solutions due to larger size

of colloidal particles. Fe(OH)3, Al(OH)3, eosin, congo red
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basic dye stuff etc, sols of gelatin,

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X Tyndall effect (Optical property) : like Prussian blue, gum, starch, etc.
Scattering of light by colloidal particles due haemoglobin (blood),
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to which the path of light beam becomes

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etc.
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visible. X Electrophoresis (Electrical property):

Brownian movement (Mechanical
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X Movement of colloidal particles towards

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property): Zig-zag movement of one of the electrodes on passage of

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colloidal particles due to the unbalanced electricity through colloidal solution. The
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bombardment by the molecules of direction depends on the type of charge on

dispersion medium. colloidal particles.
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X Coagulation of colloids : Precipitation of

X Charge on colloidal particles : Colloidal
colloidal solution by induced aggregation
particles always carry an electric charge
of colloidal particles.
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and nature of charge (+ve or –ve) is same – Lyophobic sols: They can be coagulated
on all the particles in a given colloidal by electrophoresis, boiling, persistent
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solution. The charge is due to preferential dialysis, mixing of oppositely charged sols
adsorption of ions from solution. and addition of electrolytes.
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 50 CBSE Board Term-II Chemistry Class-12

– Hardy–Schulze rules : to cause precipitation of a sol in two hours

In case of electrolytes, the ion carrying is called coagulating value. The smaller
charge opposite to that of colloidal particles the quantity needed, the higher will be
is effective in causing coagulation and
the coagulating power of an ion.
greater the valency of the ion causing
coagulation, greater is the coagulating power. – Lyophilic sols : They can be coagulated
The minimum concentration of an by addition of electrolytes or addition of a
electrolyte in millimoles per litre required suitable solvent.

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