A note on surface stress and surface tension and their interrelation via Shuttleworth’s equation and the Lippmann equation

Some aspects of the thermodynamics of solid surfaces, in particular with respect to the surface stress, f, and surface tension, γ, including the case of solid electrodes, are examined in view of their controversial discussion in part of the recent literature. By inspection of the phenomenology that requires a distinction between f and γ, and of a toy model designed to highlight the underlying fundamental science, it is shown that some of the recent publications give misleading conclusions. These include [V.A. Marichev, Surf. Sci. 600 (19) (2006) 4527; E.M. Gutman, J. Phys. Condens. Matter. 7 (48) (1995) L663; D.J. Bottomley, T. Ogino, Phys. Rev. B 63 (2001) 165412]. In spite of claims to the contrary, the validity of the equations of Shuttleworth, Lippmann, and Couchman and Davidson is not impaired by the arguments of the aforementioned articles.