Structure and properties of water film adsorbed on mica surfaces

The structure profiles and physical properties of the adsorbed water film on a mica surface under conditions with different degrees of relative humidity are investigated by a surface force apparatus. The first layer of the adsorbed water film shows ice-like properties, including a lattice constant similar with ice crystal, a high bearing capacity that can support normal pressure as high as 4 MPa, a creep behavior under the action of even a small normal load, and a character of hydrogen bond. Adjacent to the first layer of the adsorbed water film, the water molecules in the outer layer are liquid-like that can flow freely under the action of external loads. Experimental results demonstrate that the adsorbed water layer makes the mica surface change from hydrophilic to weak hydrophobic. The weak hydrophobic surface may induce the latter adsorbed water molecules to form water islands on a mica sheet.