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Updated: Aug 3, 2026

Orientational Transition in a Liquid Crystal Triggered by the Thermodynamic Growth of Interfacial Wetting Sheets
Published on: May 15, 2017
Liquid order at the interface of KDP crystals with water: evidence for icelike layers
M F Reedijk1, J Arsic, F F A Hollander
1NSRIM Department of Solid State Chemistry, University of Nijmegen, Toernooiveld 1, 6525 ED Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
Abstract:
We present a surface x-ray diffraction study on the KDP-water interface in which the structure of both the crystalline and liquid part of the interface has been measured. We have been able to determine the ordering components in the liquid in both the perpendicular and parallel directions. We find interface-induced ordering in the first four layers of water molecules. The first two layers behave icelike and are strongly bound to the surface. The next two layers are more diffuse and show only minor lateral and perpendicular ordering. Subsequent layers are found to behave similar to a bulk liquid.
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