ABSTRACT
Foam films are the subject of many studies in colloid and interface science. The history of this scientific topic dates back to the late 17th century, with pioneers such as Robert Hooke, Isaac Newton, Joseph Antoine Ferdinand Plateau, and Josiah Willard Gibbs having created the basis of their knowledge. The most intensive work on fundamental properties of foam films was performed in the 20th century. Hooke pursued broad scientific interests, ranging from physics to architecture. He came very close to reaching the conclusion that gravity follows an inverse square law, and that such a relation governs the motions of the planets. Newton studied the colors of film caps resting on a solution and attempted to find analogy with his earlier observations of colors of the air wedge between two glass plates, which were a "little convex". Gibbs dedicated only 14 pages on his famous work "On the Equilibrium of Heterogeneous Substances" to liquid films, which dealt predominantly with foam films.
