https://doi.org/10.1007/s100510050907
Quantitative study of laterally inhomogeneous wetting films
Fachbereich Physik, Bergische Universität Wuppertal,
42097 Wuppertal, Germany
Corresponding author: a bauer@wptsb.physik.uni-wuppertal.de
Received:
14
December
1998
Published online: 15 August 1999
Based on a microscopic density functional theory we calculate the internal structure of the three-phase contact line between liquid, vapor, and a confining wall as well as the morphology of liquid wetting films on a substrate exhibiting a chemical step. We present a refined numerical analysis of the nonlocal density functional which describes the interface morphologies and the corresponding line tensions. These results are compared with those predicted by a more simple phenomenological interface displacement model. Except for the case that the interface exhibits large curvatures, we find that the interface displacement model provides a quantitatively reliable description of the interfacial structures.
PACS: 68.45.Gd – Wetting / 68.10.-m – Fluid surfaces and fluid-fluid interfaces / 82.65.Dp – Thermodynamics of surfaces and interfaces
© EDP Sciences, Società Italiana di Fisica, Springer-Verlag, 1999