Abstract
ONE of the most interesting of the Fiftieth Anniversary Symposia, held at the University of Chicago during September 22–27, was that on two–dimensional systems or surface chemistry. Introductory remarks on the origin and development of this subject at the University were made by Dr. Irving Langmuir, Prof. H. I. Schlesinger, and Prof. W. D. Harkins. [It is interesting to note that this symposium was organized in honour of Prof. Harkins and the twenty–fifth anniversary of the publication of his first paper in the field of surface chemistry.—Editors.] Experimental work on the theory of molecular orientations in surfaces was begun in 1912 on the arrival of Prof. Harkins at the University. The first course of lectures on orientation was presented in the winter quarter of 1913–14. The gist of the theory is contained in a statement from the notes of George L. Clark taken during a lecture which dealt with the more tightly packed films of long–chain organic acids: “COOH of acid down because both acid and H2O associated in polar.” This is the earliest recorded statement of the direction of orientation of surface molecules.
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HARKINS, W. SURFACE CHEMISTRY. Nature 148, 743–746 (1941). https://doi.org/10.1038/148743a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/148743a0