# Jacob Israelachvili > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Jacob_Israelachvili > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Jacob_Israelachvili.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacob_Israelachvili > Source revision: 1349767416 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) Israeli physicist and chemical engineer **Jacob Nissim Israelachvili**, [FRS](/source/Fellow_of_the_Royal_Society) ([Hebrew](/source/Hebrew_language): יעקב ניסים ישראלכבילי; 19 August 1944 – 20 September 2018) was an Israeli [physicist](/source/Physicist) who was a professor at the [University of California, Santa Barbara](/source/University_of_California%2C_Santa_Barbara) (UCSB).[1] He made contributions in understanding the behavior of matter at small length scales. ## Personal life He was born in Tel Aviv, Israel and sent to an English boarding school at the age of 7. After completing his secondary education he returned to Israel to carry out his military service before moving back to England to study the [Natural Sciences Tripos](/source/Natural_Sciences_(Cambridge)) at the [University of Cambridge](/source/University_of_Cambridge). He received his [Ph.D.](/source/Ph.D.) in [Physics](/source/Physics) from [Christ's College, Cambridge](/source/Christ's_College%2C_Cambridge) in 1972 under the supervision of [David Tabor](/source/David_Tabor_(physicist)). He then became a Research Fellow at the Biophysics Institute, [Stockholm University](/source/Stockholm_University) and at the [Karolinska Institute](/source/Karolinska_Institute), Sweden until 1974. He moved to Australia to take a post as fellow in the Research School of Physical Science and the Research School of Biological Sciences at the Institute of Advanced Studies, [Australian National University](/source/Australian_National_University) in Canberra from 1974 to 1977. He was then appointed senior fellow in the Department of Applied Mathematics and Department of Neurobiology at the Institute of Advanced Studies, [Australian National University](/source/Australian_National_University) in Canberra. He relocated to California to join [UCSB](/source/University_of_California%2C_Santa_Barbara) in 1986, where he worked till his death on 20 September 2018.[2] ## Research His research has involved study of molecular and interfacial forces. His work is applicable to a wide range of industrial and fundamental science problems. In particular, he has contributed significantly to the understanding of [colloidal dispersions](/source/Colloid), biological systems, and [polymer](/source/Polymer) [engineering](/source/Engineering) applications. He has studied interfacial phenomena, the physics of thin films, and fundamental questions in [rheology](/source/Rheology) and [tribology](/source/Tribology) of surfaces.[3][4][5] Israelachvili has developed numerous techniques for the static and dynamic measurement of material and molecular properties of vapors, liquids, and surfaces. In particular, he pioneered a sensitive interfacial force-sensing technique known as the [surface forces apparatus](/source/Surface_forces_apparatus) (SFA). This instrument involves carefully approaching two surfaces (usually immersed in a [solvent](/source/Solvent), such as [water](/source/Water)), and measuring the force of attraction and repulsion between them. Using [piezoelectric](/source/Piezoelectric) positional movement and optical [interferometry](/source/Interferometry) for position sensing, this instrument can resolve distances to within 0.1 [nanometer](/source/Nanometer), and [forces](/source/Forces) at the 10−8 [N](/source/Newton_(unit)) level. This technique is similar to measuring the force of interaction between an [atomic force microscope](/source/Atomic_force_microscope) (AFM) and a sample surface, except that the specialized SFA can measure much longer-range forces and is intended for surface-surface interaction measurements (as opposed to tip-surface or molecule-surface measurements). The results of SFA experiments can be used to characterize the nature of intermolecular potentials and other molecular properties. Israelachvili is also well known as the author of the textbook "Intermolecular and Surface Forces," published by [Academic Press](/source/Academic_Press). This authoritative book describes the fundamental concepts and equations applicable to all intermolecular and interfacial science disciplines. Israelachvili was also founder of SurForce, LLC. The company specializes in researching surface force interactions and producing SFA systems.[\[1\]](https://www.surforcellc.com/about-us/) ## Appointments, honors and awards - Tribology Gold Medal, [Institution of Mechanical Engineers](/source/Institution_of_Mechanical_Engineers) (2013)[6] - ACS National Award in Colloid and Surface Chemistry (2009) - Named by the [AICHE](/source/American_Institute_of_Chemical_Engineers) as one of the “One Hundred Chemical Engineers of the Modern Era (2008) - Honorary Degree of Doctor of Engineering – University of South Florida (2007) - Honorary Degree of Doctor sc. h.c. - [ETH Zurich](/source/ETH_Zurich) (2006) - Schlumberger Visiting Professor – [University of Oxford](/source/University_of_Oxford), UK (2005) - MRS Medal, awarded for recent work on adhesion and friction (2004) - Elected to the US [National Academy of Sciences](/source/National_Academy_of_Sciences) in the area of Engineering Science (2004)[7] - Elected [Fellow of the American Physical Society](/source/Fellow_of_the_American_Physical_Society) in the area of Biological Physics (2004) - Adhesion Society Award for “excellence in adhesion science (2003) - [Fellow of the Royal Society](/source/Fellow_of_the_Royal_Society) (1988) - [Matthew Flinders Medal and Lecture](/source/Matthew_Flinders_Medal_and_Lecture) (1986) - [David Syme Research Prize](/source/David_Syme_Research_Prize) (1983) - Elected a [fellow of the Australian Academy of Science](/source/List_of_Fellows_of_the_Australian_Academy_of_Science) (1982) - [Pawsey Medal](/source/Pawsey_Medal) (1977) ## References 1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** ["Israelachvili, Jacob Nissim (1944 - )"](http://www.eoas.info/biogs/P004659b.htm). Enclopaedia of Australian Science. Retrieved 18 September 2015. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["A Legacy of Discovery: Remembering Professor Emeritus Jacob Israelachvili"](https://engineering.ucsb.edu/news/legacy-discovery-remembering-professor-emeritus-jacob-israelachvili). *UCSB College of Engineering*. 26 September 2018. Retrieved 11 February 2021. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** Zagorski, N. (2006). ["Profile of Jacob N. Israelachvili"](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1636843). *Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences*. **103** (43): 15736–15738. [Bibcode](/source/Bibcode_(identifier)):[2006PNAS..10315736Z](https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2006PNAS..10315736Z). [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1073/pnas.0607766103](https://doi.org/10.1073%2Fpnas.0607766103). [PMC](/source/PMC_(identifier)) [1636843](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1636843). [PMID](/source/PMID_(identifier)) [17043213](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17043213). 1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** Israelachvili, Jacob N. (1992). *Intermolecular and surface forces*. Boston: Academic Press. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-12-375181-2](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-12-375181-2). 1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** ["Professor Jacob Israelachvili at UCSB"](http://www.mrl.ucsb.edu/people/faculty/jacob-israelachvili). Retrieved 3 January 2014.[*[permanent dead link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Link_rot)*] 1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** ["IMechE Tribology Gold Medal Laureates | Institution of Mechanical Engineers"](https://www.imeche.org/careers-education/scholarships-and-awards/DGs/tribology/tribology-gold-medal/gold-medal-laureates). *www.imeche.org*. Retrieved 22 December 2020. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** Zagorski, N. (16 October 2006). ["Profile of Jacob N. Israelachvili"](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1636843). *Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences*. **103** (43): 15736–15738. [Bibcode](/source/Bibcode_(identifier)):[2006PNAS..10315736Z](https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2006PNAS..10315736Z). [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1073/pnas.0607766103](https://doi.org/10.1073%2Fpnas.0607766103). [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [0027-8424](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0027-8424). [PMC](/source/PMC_(identifier)) [1636843](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1636843). [PMID](/source/PMID_(identifier)) [17043213](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17043213). - ["Israelachvili, Jacob Nissim (1944 - )"](http://www.eoas.info/biogs/P004659b.htm). Encyclopaedia of Australian Science. Retrieved 1 September 2015. Authority control databases International ISNI VIAF GND WorldCat National United States France BnF data Japan Czech Republic Netherlands Norway Korea Poland Israel Croatia Academics CiNii ORCID Scopus Other IdRef Yale LUX --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Jacob Israelachvili](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacob_Israelachvili) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacob_Israelachvili?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.