Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 30, 2026

Surface Properties of Synthesized Nanoporous Carbon and Silica Matrices
Published on: March 27, 2019
Crossover effects in the wetting of adsorbed films in linear wedges
Abstract:
We have measured the growth of liquid Ar adsorbed on arrays of linear wedges structured in different ways. In the most regular patterns, a clear crossover from a planarlike to a geometry-dependent growth behavior is observed. This crossover is found to depend on the characteristic wedge size and its position, in the case of a regular pattern, agrees well with theoretical predictions. Near liquid-vapor bulk coexistence, the film mass is observed to diverge as a power law of the chemical potential difference from saturation with an exponent in very good agreement with the value of -2 expected for a linear wedge. This exponent is not affected by the opening angles of the wedges. The form of the next-to-leading order singular term in the asymptotic divergence of the mass has also been investigated. The experimentally determined value of the exponent is consistent with the expected theoretical result of -4/3.
Related Concept Videos
Adhesion
Capillary action is a result of water’s adhesive tendencies. When a narrow glass...
Adsorption Isotherms II
Surface Tension, Capillary Action, and Viscosity
The various IMFs between identical molecules of a substance are examples of cohesive forces. The molecules within a liquid are surrounded by other molecules and are attracted equally in all directions by the cohesive forces within the liquid. However, the molecules on the surface of a liquid are attracted only by about one-half as many molecules. Because of the unbalanced molecular attractions on the surface molecules, liquids contract to form a shape that minimizes the number...
Contact Angle
The adhesive force is the molecular force between molecules of different materials, that is, between the molecules of the solid and the liquid. The cohesive force...
Surface Tension of Fluid
Surface tension varies with...
Adsorption Isotherms I

