X-Ray Scattering Studies of Thin Liquid Films

该项目使用同步辐射来研究非常薄的液膜中的分子间关联。这是一类相对容易控制和几何定义明确的“受限”液体，其性质可能与散装液体有很大不同。要研究的系统包括浓缩金属盐溶液的薄膜、粘性液体的涂膜和固体衬底上的润湿膜。膜平面内和垂直于膜平面的结构将作为膜厚度、温度、溶质浓度和外加电势的函数来探测。这些研究具有基本的意义，不仅涉及润滑、润湿和扩散，而且还涉及其他受限系统，如液滴中的液体、多孔矿物、毛细管和生物细胞。这个项目研究非常薄的液膜中分子的结构排列。同步辐射被用来测量结构，因为它可能与散装液体有很大不同。当液体以非常薄的薄膜或其他‘受限’几何形状存在时，它们的性质就会改变。这项调查不仅具有基本的意义，而且与润湿和扩散过程(如在油漆或漏油过程中发生的)以及相关的工业过程有关。所获得的信息可能有助于更好地了解其他受限系统的性质，如云中的液滴、多孔岩石中的石油以及生物细胞和毛细血管中的流体。***

w:\awards\awards96\*.doc 9624055 Dutta The project employs synchrotron radiation to study the intermolecular correlations within very thin liquid films. These are a relatively easily controlled and geometrically well defined class of `confined' liquids, whose properties can be significantly different from those of bulk liquids. Systems to be studied include thin films of concentrated metal salt solutions, spreading films of viscous liquids, and wetting films on solid substrates. The structures within and normal to the film plane are to be probed as functions of film thickness, temperature, solute concentration, and applied potential. The investigations are of fundamental interest and are relevant to applications involving not only lubrication, wetting, and spreading, but also to other confined systems such as liquids in droplets, porous minerals, capillaries, and biological cells. %%% This project investigates the structural arrangement of molecules within very thin liquid films. Synchrotron radiation is used to measure the structure as it can be quite different from bulk liquids. The properties of liquids change when they are in the form of very thin films or in other `confined' geometries. The investigation is not only of basic interest but is related wetting and spreading processes (such as occur in painting or oil spills), and related industrial processes. The information obtained is likely to lead to a better understanding of the properties of other confined systems such as droplets in a cloud, oil in porous rocks, and fluids in biological cells and capillaries. ***