Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 20, 2025

The Preparation of Electrohydrodynamic Bridges from Polar Dielectric Liquids
Published on: September 30, 2014
Energy Stored in Nanoscale Water Capillary Bridges between Patchy Surfaces
Binze Tang1, Sergey V Buldyrev2, Limei Xu1,3
1International Center for Quantum Materials, School of Physics, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.
Abstract:
We perform molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of a water capillary bridge (WCB) expanding between two identical chemically heterogeneous surfaces. The model surfaces, based on the structure of silica, are hydrophobic and are decorated by a hydrophilic (hydroxylated silica) patch that is in contact with the WCB. Our MD simulations results, including the WCB profile and forces induced on the walls, are in agreement with capillarity theory even at the smallest wall separations studied, h = 2.5-3 nm. Remarkably, the energy stored in the WCB can be relatively large, with an energy density that is comparable to that harvested by water-responsive materials used in actuators and nanogenerators.
Related Concept Videos
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...
Surface Tension and Surface Energy
Consider a beaker filled with liquid. The bulk molecules in the liquid experience equal attractive forces on all sides with the surrounding molecules. However, the surface molecules experience a net attractive force downward due to the bulk molecules. The surface of the liquid behaves like a stretched membrane,...
Capillarity in Fluid
Surface tension is crucial to capillarity. It results from cohesive forces between liquid molecules at the liquid-air boundary, forming a skin that resists external forces. When the capillary tube...
Cohesion
On a...
Energy Stored in Capacitors
By integrating the equation that relates voltage and current in a capacitor, one can derive an equation for the voltage across the capacitor at any given time. This equation is crucial in understanding and predicting the behavior of capacitors in...
DC Battery

