Surface Tension in Relation to Cohesive Energy with Particular Reference to Hydrocarbon Polymers

A known relationship between heat of vaporization, surface tension and molar volume applicable to spherical non-polar molecules has been modified to apply also to linear molecules; the treatment involves calculation of molar surface areas corresponding to the appropriate 'fully-packing' molecular shapes. A linear relationship between the ratio cohesive energy density/surface tension and the reciprocal of molar volume has been predicted for members of homologous series and confirmed with data for the n-paraffins. The wetting of hydrocarbon polymers by hydrocarbon liquids is discussed in terms of cohesive energies. (Author)