Characterization of molecule clustering and liquid transport at nearly ideal solid surfaces

Vapor adsorption, mobility, two-dimensional (monolayer formation) and three-dimensional (multilayer formation) clustering is evaluated. Two-dimensional vapor diffusion is compared to results obtained from molecular kinetic (MK) model fits. Three-dimensional clustering results in condensation of multimolecular vapor layers to thin films. Thin films are characte-rized by line tension and liquid spreading by hydrodynamic (HD) models. Although it is experimentally shown that steady-state wetting ranges are intersected by a chaotic slip-stick range, MK and HD models are combined to molecular hydrodynamic (MH) models with the aim to cover this slip-stick range. The results of MK, HD and MH model fits are, however rather poor (unphysical results). Thin film (α-phase) models are compared to thick film (β-phase) models. In order to improve model designs, established phenomenological relation-ships known from irreversible thermodynamics are presented. Forced wetting, expressed as generalized fluxes can be made dependent on multiple generalized conjugate forces which enables identification of dominant interactions to be introduced in future improved transport models.