J Phys Condens Matter. 2022 Jan 27. doi: 10.1088/1361-648X/ac4f7e. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
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 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 two-dimensional materials could represent a new theoretical and technological platform for studies of spinodal de-wetting.
PMID:35086067 | DOI:10.1088/1361-648X/ac4f7e
