Correlation between asymmetric profiles in slits and standard prewetting lines

Authors

  • Salvador A. Sartarelli Instituto de Desarrollo Humano, Universidad Nacional de General Sarmiento
  • Leszek Szybisz Laboratorio TANDAR, Departamento de Física, Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.4279/pip.010001

Keywords:

Density functional calculations, Surface tension, Wetting

Abstract

The adsorption of Ar on substrates of Li is investigated within the framework of a density functional theory which includes an effective pair potential recently proposed. This approach yields good results for the surface tension of the liquid-vapor interface. The behavior of the adsorbate in the cases of a single planar wall and a slit geometry is analyzed as a function of temperature. Asymmetric density profiles are found for fluid confined in a slit built up of two identical planar walls leading to the spontaneous symmetry breaking (SSB) effect. We found that the asymmetric solutions occur even above the wetting temperature $T_w$ in a range of average densities $\rho^*_{ssb1} \le \rho^*_{av} \le \rho^*_{ssb2}$, which diminishes with increasing temperatures until its disappearance at the critical prewetting point $T_{\rm cpw}$. In this way a correlation between the disappearance of the SSB effect and the end of prewetting lines observed in the adsorption on a one-wall planar substrate is established. In addition, it is shown that a value for $T_{\rm cpw}$ can be precisely determined by analyzing the asymmetry coefficients.

Received: 17 June 2009, Accepted: 28 August 2009; Edited by: S. A. Cannas; DOI: 10.4279/PIP.010001

Author Biographies

Salvador A. Sartarelli, Instituto de Desarrollo Humano, Universidad Nacional de General Sarmiento

Researcher

Instituto de Desarrollo Humano, Universidad
Nacional de General Sarmiento, Gutierrez 1150, RA--1663 San Miguel, Argentina.

Leszek Szybisz, Laboratorio TANDAR, Departamento de Física, Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica

Professor and Researcher  

 Laboratorio TANDAR, Departamento de F\'{\i}sica, Comisi\'on Nacional de Energ\'{\i}a At\'omica, Av. del Libertador 8250, RA--1429 Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Departamento de F\'{\i}sica, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad Universitaria, RA--1428 Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cient\'{\i}ficas y T\'ecnicas, Av. Rivadavia 1917, RA--1033 Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Traditional Review

Published

2009-09-07

How to Cite

Sartarelli, S. A., & Szybisz, L. (2009). Correlation between asymmetric profiles in slits and standard prewetting lines. Papers in Physics, 1, 010001. https://doi.org/10.4279/pip.010001

Issue

Section

Articles