The work of adhesion per unit area,
is the work done on the system when two condensed phases α and β,
forming an interface
of unit area are separated reversibly to form unit areas of each of the αδ- and βδ- interfaces.
between two bulk phases
α, β; α, δ and β, δ respectively.
The work of adhesion as defined above, and traditionally used, may be called the work of separation.
PAC, 1972, 31, 577
(Manual of Symbols and Terminology for Physicochemical Quantities and Units, Appendix II: Definitions, Terminology and Symbols in Colloid and Surface Chemistry)
on page 597
IUPAC. Compendium of Chemical Terminology, 2nd ed. (the "Gold Book"). Compiled by A. D. McNaught and A. Wilkinson. Blackwell Scientific Publications, Oxford (1997). XML on-line corrected version: http://goldbook.iupac.org (2006-) created by M. Nic, J. Jirat, B. Kosata; updates compiled by A. Jenkins. ISBN 0-9678550-9-8. doi:10.1351/goldbook