Water film confined in a nanoscale gap: Surface polarity and hydration effects

The water film nanoconfined between solid surfaces was investigated using thin film interferometry. Experimental results indicate that surface polarity and hydration effects can strongly influence on the property of water film. It is thought that water molecules strongly bind to surface containing hydrophilic groups and a preferential slip plane is created against the adjacent layer between the hydration sheath and bulk water. The slip plane dramatically weakens the entrainment effect in the inlet zone of lubrication by breaking the hydrogen-bonding network. (C) 2010 American Institute of Physics. [doi:10.1063/1.3499695]