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Layering of a liquid metal in contact with a hard wall

Author

Listed:
  • Willem Jan Huisman

    (FOM-Institute for Atomic and Molecular Physics)

  • Joost F. Peters

    (University of Amsterdam, Van der Waals-Zeeman Institute)

  • Michel J. Zwanenburg

    (University of Amsterdam, Van der Waals-Zeeman Institute)

  • Steven A. de Vries

    (FOM-Institute for Atomic and Molecular Physics)

  • Trevor E. Derry

    (Schonland Research Centre for Nuclear Sciences, University of Witwatersrand)

  • Douglas Abernathy

    (European Synchrotron Radiation Facility)

  • J. Friso van der Veen

    (University of Amsterdam, Van der Waals-Zeeman Institute)

Abstract

When a liquid makes contact with a solid wall, theoretical studies1,2,3,4 indicate that the atoms or molecules will become layered adjacent to the wall, giving rise to an oscillatory density profile. This expectation has not, however, been directly verified, although an oscillatory force curve is seen for liquids compressed between solid surfaces5. Here we present the results of an X-ray scattering study of liquid gallium metal in contact with a (111) diamond surface. We see pronounced layering in the liquid density profile which decays exponentially with increasing distance from the wall. The layer spacing is about 3.8 å, which is equal to the repeat distance of (001) planes of upright gallium dimers in solid α-gallium. Thus it appears that the liquid near thewall assumes a solid-like structure similar to the α-phase, which is nucleated on freezing at lower temperatures. This kind of ordering should significantly influence flow, capillary osmosis, lubrication and wetting properties5,6, and is likely to trigger heterogeneous nucleation of the solid.

Suggested Citation

  • Willem Jan Huisman & Joost F. Peters & Michel J. Zwanenburg & Steven A. de Vries & Trevor E. Derry & Douglas Abernathy & J. Friso van der Veen, 1997. "Layering of a liquid metal in contact with a hard wall," Nature, Nature, vol. 390(6658), pages 379-381, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:390:y:1997:i:6658:d:10.1038_37069
    DOI: 10.1038/37069
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    Cited by:

    1. Jincheng Tong & Nathan Bruyn & Adriana Alieva & Elizabeth. J. Legge & Matthew Boyes & Xiuju Song & Alvin J. Walisinghe & Andrew J. Pollard & Michael W. Anderson & Thomas Vetter & Manuel Melle-Franco &, 2024. "Crystallization of molecular layers produced under confinement onto a surface," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-8, December.

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