Thin films of normal paraffins, fatty acids and esters have been examined by electron diffraction during heating upon a variety of metal surfaces. In all cases the films lost their orderly condensed structure at a comparatively low temperature, leaving expanded films of individual molecules. The disorientation temperatures observed depended upon the chemical composition and thickness of the films, and upon the substrate metal. Evidence has been obtained of the formation of metallic soaps when fatty acid films are deposited upon reactive surfaces such as copper, cadmium and mild steel. Close agreement has been found between disorientation temperatures and the temperatures of friction discontinuities measured by other workers using Bowden-Leben type friction apparatus.
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K. G. Brummage (1947) studied this question.