For example, I read in a different article that TiO2 nanostructures can be grown on FTO glass substrate using different synthesis methods and precursors. However, I want to know the driving force for why adsorbate grows on/sticks to the surface of adsorbent. Does it have any relation to surface energy? How?
Yes it has to do with surface energy. The adsorbate molecules try to minimize their energies and they do it so by making bonds with the un-tangled bonds of the adsrobents.
The attachment of adsorbent with adsorbate occurs due to various forces of interaction such as van-der-Waals (Very weak ), ionic (Strong), covalent (Strong (quantum-chemical origin) and metallic (Strong- E > 50 kJ/mole). A surface always determines a thermodynamic phase boundary, where the physical and chemical properties of the adjacent phases change abruptly. In the surface region, the interaction forces responsible for the bulk properties become asymmetric, since the outermost bonds are unsaturated, resulting in a peculiar chemical reactivity of the surface. Free energy acts as a function of the surface configuration. This configuration is determined by the adsorbate coverage. At a critical value of this coverage, the surface flips to a more stable equilibrium configuration. Thus it has a relation to the surface energy..
Refer:
http://cdn.intechopen.com/pdfs/21870.pdf
http://www.diss.fu-berlin.de/diss/servlets/MCRFileNodeServlet/FUDISS_derivate_000000001299/02_Chapter2.pdf;jsessionid=47ABAC941C2DE42E2876DDF3D59BA089?hosts=
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