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Formation of ultra-thin bi-molecular boundary adsorbed films
journal contribution
posted on 2013-10-14, 07:46 authored by W.W.F. Chong, M. Teodorescu, Homer RahnejatAn analytical method based on statistical mechanics is proposed to predict ultra-thin adsorbed
films of physical fluids with molecular diversity formed on smooth surfaces. The model is
representative of molecular interactions at the smooth summits of surface asperities in the
nano-scale. At this physical scale the constraining effect of the solid barriers promotes
discretization of the fluid volume into molecular layers. These layers are usually ejected from
the contact in a stepwise manner. The integrated effect of intermolecular forces as well as their
interactions with the contiguous surfaces is responsible for the discontinuous drainage of the
fluid. However, at the same time, the adsorption energy of the molecular species strives to form
a molecular monolayer upon the boundary solids. The net result of these complex interactions
is an ultra-thin adsorbed film, whose shear characteristics depends on a competition between
the repulsive solvation pressure and the energy of molecular adsorption. It is shown that very
thin low shear strength films are formed in this manner. This would depend on the molecular
concentration and the wall adsorption energy. An important implication is that boundary
adherent films should be viewed as a result of surface-fluid combination for which the choice
of concentration and fraction content of particular species are crucial.
History
School
- Mechanical, Electrical and Manufacturing Engineering
Citation
CHONG, W.W.F., TEODORESCU, M. and RAHNEJAT, H., 2012. Formation of ultra-thin bi-molecular boundary adsorbed films. Journal of Physics D - Applied Physics, 45 (115303), 11pp.Publisher
© IOP PublishingVersion
- NA (Not Applicable or Unknown)
Publication date
2012Notes
The authors acknowledge the technical support from partners and sponsorship provided by the EPSRC through the ENCYCLOPAEDIC program grant. This article is closed access.ISSN
0022-3727Publisher version
Language
- en