Metal-non-metal and other interfaces: the role of image interactions

It is argued that many phenomena associated with metal/non-metal interfaces and similar situations with a large dielectric constant mismatch can be understood in terms of the image interactions due to charges in the non-metal. The effects are additional to the traditional interactions, and are especially significant when no reactions between the phases occur. The image-charge concept allows one to rationalise much apparently unrelated information concerning: (a) the systematics of wetting and non-wetting of oxides by liquid metals; (b) the systematics of strong metal--support interaction in catalysis; (c) the spatial variation of stoichiometry in oxides grown on metals; (d) the dependence on thickness of the observed changes in the wetting by water of oxide grown on silicon; (e) some features of radiation-enhanced adhesion; and (f) a number of correlations of behaviour with non-metal properties in which the precise choice of metal is not critical. 19 ref.--AA