DOI: 10.1002/smll.201001297. Nanogeometry Matters: Unexpected Decrease of Capillary Adhesion Forces with Increasing Relative Humidity

Nanogeometry Matters: Unexpected Decrease of Capillary Adhesion Forces with Increasing Relative Humidity

10.1002/smll.201001297

Crossref journal-article

Wiley

Small (311)

Abstract

AbstractThe sticking effect between hydrophilic surfaces occurring at increasing relative humidity (RH) is an everyday phenomenon with uncountable implications. Here experimental evidence is presented for a counterintuitive monotonous decrease of the capillary adhesion forces between hydrophilic surfaces with increasing RH for the whole humidity range. It is shown that this unexpected result is related to the actual shape of the asperity at the nanometer scale: a model based on macroscopic thermodynamics predicts this decrease in the adhesion force for a sharp object ending in an almost flat nanometer‐sized apex, in full agreement with experiments. This anomalous decrease is due to the fact that a significant growth of the liquid meniscus formed at the contact region with increasing humidity is hindered for this geometry. These results are relevant in the analysis of the dynamical behavior of nanomenisci. They could also have an outstanding value in technological applications, since the undesirable sticking effect between surfaces occurring at increasing RH could be avoided by controlling the shape of the surface asperities at the nanometric scale.

Bibliography

KÃ¶ber, M., SahagÃºn, E., GarcÃaâMochales, P., Briones, F., Luna, M., & SÃ¡enz, J. J. (2010). Nanogeometry Matters: Unexpected Decrease of Capillary Adhesion Forces with Increasing Relative Humidity. Small, 6(23), 2725â2730. Portico.

Authors 6

Mariana Köber (first)
Enrique Sahagún (additional)
Pedro García‐Mochales (additional)
Fernando Briones (additional)
Monica Luna (additional)
Juan José Sáenz (additional)

References 41 Referenced 52

10.1016/j.cis.2008.10.002
10.1038/25492
{'key': 'e_1_2_7_3_2', 'volume-title': 'Fundamentals of Friction: Macroscopic and Microscopic Processes', 'author': 'Singer I. L.', 'year': '1991'} / Fundamentals of Friction: Macroscopic and Microscopic Processes by Singer I. L. (1991)
{'key': 'e_1_2_7_4_2', 'volume-title': 'Tribology on the Small Scale: A Bottom Up Approach to Friction, Lubrication, and Wear', 'author': 'Mate C. M.', 'year': '2008'} / Tribology on the Small Scale: A Bottom Up Approach to Friction, Lubrication, and Wear by Mate C. M. (2008)
{'key': 'e_1_2_7_5_2', 'volume-title': 'Intermolecular and Surface Forces', 'author': 'Israelachvili J.', 'year': '1991'} / Intermolecular and Surface Forces by Israelachvili J. (1991)
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10.1063/1.1640332
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{'key': 'e_1_2_7_37_2', 'volume-title': 'Liquids and Interfaces', 'author': 'Evans R.', 'year': '1989'} / Liquids and Interfaces by Evans R. (1989)
10.1016/j.ultramic.2004.09.009
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10.1103/PhysRevLett.84.5347

Dates

Type	When
Created	14 years, 9 months ago (Nov. 11, 2010, 8:16 a.m.)
Deposited	1 year, 10 months ago (Oct. 8, 2023, 3:44 a.m.)
Indexed	2 days, 8 hours ago (Sept. 3, 2025, 6:16 a.m.)
Issued	14 years, 9 months ago (Nov. 11, 2010)
Published	14 years, 9 months ago (Nov. 11, 2010)
Published Online	14 years, 9 months ago (Nov. 11, 2010)
Published Print	14 years, 8 months ago (Dec. 6, 2010)

Funders 0

None

BibTeX

@article{K_ber_2010, title={Nanogeometry Matters: Unexpected Decrease of Capillary Adhesion Forces with Increasing Relative Humidity}, volume={6}, ISSN={1613-6829}, url={http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/smll.201001297}, DOI={10.1002/smll.201001297}, number={23}, journal={Small}, publisher={Wiley}, author={Köber, Mariana and Sahagún, Enrique and García‐Mochales, Pedro and Briones, Fernando and Luna, Monica and Sáenz, Juan José}, year={2010}, month=nov, pages={2725–2730} }

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