Spinodal de-wetting of light liquids on graphene

We demonstrate theoretically the possibility of spinodal de-wetting in heterostructures made of light-atom liquids (hydrogen, helium, and nitrogen) deposited on suspended graphene. Extending our theory of film growth on two-dimensional (2D) materials to include analysis of surface instabilities via...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of physics. Condensed matter 2022-04, Vol.34 (17), p.175001
Main Authors: Vanegas, Juan M, Peterson, David, Lakoba, Taras I, Kotov, Valeri N
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
2D materials
graphene
spinodal de-wetting
surface instabilities
thin liquid films
van der Waals systems
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Summary:We demonstrate theoretically the possibility of spinodal de-wetting in heterostructures made of light-atom liquids (hydrogen, helium, and nitrogen) deposited on suspended graphene. Extending our theory of film growth on two-dimensional (2D) materials to include analysis of surface instabilities via the hydrodynamic Cahn-Hilliard-type equation, we characterize in detail the spatial and temporal scales of the resulting spinodal de-wetting patterns. Both linear stability analysis and direct numerical simulations of the surface hydrodynamics show micron-sized (generally material dependent) patterns of 'dry' regions. The physical reason for the development of such instabilities on graphene can be traced back to the inherently weak van der Waals interactions between atomically thin materials and atoms in the liquid. Thus 2D materials could represent a new theoretical and technological platform for studies of spinodal de-wetting.
ISSN:0953-8984
1361-648X
DOI:10.1088/1361-648X/ac4f7e