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Wetting Layers and Dispersion Forces for a Fluid in Contact with a Vertical Wall
Published
Author(s)
Richard F. Kayser, James W. Schmidt, Michael R. Moldover
Abstract
When a liquid wets a vertical wall, wetting layers form on the wall high above the liquid-vapor meniscus. These layers are stabilized against gravity by dispersion forces. For SF_6 in contact with fused silica, we find layers between 20 and 40 nm thick in a range of temperatures below critical. Our results support the predictions of Dzyaloshinskii, Lifshitz, and Pitaevskii, in contrast to recent experiments which are much harder to reconcile with theory.
Kayser, R.
, Schmidt, J.
and Moldover, M.
(1985),
Wetting Layers and Dispersion Forces for a Fluid in Contact with a Vertical Wall, Physical Review Letters, [online], https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.54.707, https://tsapps.nist.gov/publication/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=925215
(Accessed October 1, 2025)