Effect of nanostructures on the meniscus shape and disjoining pressure of ultrathin liquid film

Abstract

The stability of thin liquid films on nanostructured surfaces is important but poorly understood. Here, we develop a general model of the meniscus shape and disjoining pressure for thin liquid films on nanostructured surfaces based on the minimization of the free energy and the Derjaguin approximation. This model is then compared with molecular dynamics simulations for a water-gold system with triangular and square nanostructures of varying depth and film thickness, demonstrating the robustness of the analytical model.