The gradual change with time in the wetting angle of a drop of water placed on paraffin wax-stearic acid mixtures, is shown to be due to the emergence of the polar carboxyl heads of the acid from the wax surface and their subsequent anchoring in the water. The reaction rate is found to be unimolecular. A monolayer of 14C-labelled stearic acid deposited on a mica strip is found to transfer molecules to another strip when brought into contact with it. The rates of transfer and the partitions at equilibrium have been determined for a variety of contacting surfaces formed by evaporating metals on to the mica substrate.
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Rideal et al. (1954) studied this question.