Oscillatory Solvation Forces: A Comparison of Theory and Experiment

Phil Attard and John L. Parker

Department of Applied Mathematics, Research School of Physical Sciences and Engineering, Australian National University, Canberra ACT Australia, 0200.

J. Phys. Chem. 96, 5086-5093 (1992).

Abstract
Measurements are reported for the oscillatory force between mica surfaces in octamethyltetracyclosiloxane (OMCTS). Improved experimental resolution is achieved by solid-state distance control and force measurement, and by an automated data acquisition system. The period of the oscillations is measured to be $0.82\pm .02$nm. Theoretical calculations are shown to quantitatively describe the magnitude of the force in the case of hard-sphere and of Lennard-Jones models of the OMCTS molecule, with the period being 0.74nm and 0.78nm respectively. A rigorous proof of the Derjaguin approximation is also given.

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