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Influence of the molecular ordering on the wetting of SiO2/air interfaces by alkanes

Merkl, Christoph and Pfohl, Thomas and Riegler, Hans. (1997) Influence of the molecular ordering on the wetting of SiO2/air interfaces by alkanes. Physical Review Letters, 79 (23). pp. 4625-4628.

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Abstract

Alkanes from 16 to 50 C atoms show three wetting topologies at SiO2/air interfaces. Below the bulk freezing temperature Tb, small crystallites (frozen droplets which can be annealed into mesas of uniform height) are observed. A monolayer of homeotropically oriented molecules covers the air/substrate interface in between. At Tb, the crystallites melt into droplets. The ordered monolayer remains up to TSVS~Tb+3 °C, probably due to fluctuation-stabilized ``surface freezing.'' Above TSVS, a liquid alkane film wets the surface. The decoupling of Tb and TSVS, and the difference between the ordered and liquid surface energies, causes the droplet-to-film transition.
Faculties and Departments:05 Faculty of Science > Departement Chemie > Former Organization Units Chemistry > Biophysikalische Chemie (Pfohl)
UniBasel Contributors:Pfohl, Thomas
Item Type:Article, refereed
Article Subtype:Research Article
Publisher:American Physical Society
ISSN:0031-9007
e-ISSN:1079-7114
Note:Publication type according to Uni Basel Research Database: Journal article
Language:English
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edoc DOI:
Last Modified:01 Feb 2017 14:40
Deposited On:01 Feb 2017 14:40

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