Imaging the condensation and evaporation of molecularly thin ethanol films with surface forces apparatus

Gutian Zhao; Qiyan Tan; Li Xiang; Di Zhang; Zhonghua Ni; Hong Yi; Yunfei Chen

doi:10.1063/1.4860653

Imaging the condensation and evaporation of molecularly thin ethanol films with surface forces apparatus

Rev Sci Instrum. 2014 Jan;85(1):013702. doi: 10.1063/1.4860653.

Authors

Gutian Zhao¹, Qiyan Tan¹, Li Xiang¹, Di Zhang¹, Zhonghua Ni¹, Hong Yi¹, Yunfei Chen¹

Affiliation

¹ Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Design and Manufacture of Micro-Nano Biomedical Instruments, School of Mechanical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 211189, China.

PMID: 24517770
DOI: 10.1063/1.4860653

Abstract

A new method for imaging condensation and evaporation of molecularly thin ethanol films is reported. It is found that the first adsorbed layer of ethanol film on mica surface behaves as solid like structure that cannot flow freely. With the increase of exposure time, more ethanol molecules condense over the mica surface in the saturated ethanol vapor condition. The first layer of adsorbed ethanol film is about 3.8 Å thick measured from the surface forces apparatus, which is believed to be the average diameter of ethanol molecules while they are confined in between two atomically smooth mica surfaces.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Aluminum Silicates / chemistry
Ethanol / chemistry*
Mechanical Phenomena*
Models, Molecular
Molecular Conformation
Surface Properties
Time Factors
Volatilization

Substances

Aluminum Silicates
Ethanol
mica