Work

Measuring Extended Water Interfacial Structures. Water Nanoclusters (∼50 nm) Involved by Ice-like II Walls (∼10 nm)

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Interfacial water layers attached to both hydrophobic and hydrophilic substrates have low dielectric permittivity. Measured structural differences between hydrophobic and hydrophilic arrangements are presented in this work. Nanosized water clusters (∼50 nm) are observed in air/water interfacial regions characterized by an ice-like structure forming walls surrounding regions with a dielectric constant ε ∼7.6. Walls are formed by an ice-like II structural arrangement. This condensed phase of water possesses an extremely small dielectric constant (ε ∼3.6) and forms wired water structures. Two nonequilibrium arrangements are then responsible for the measured spatially variable dielectric constant profiles observed in Atomic Force Microscopy.

Source: Langmuir

DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.5c06652

Authors: Omar Teschke, Wyllerson Evaristo Gomes, Paula Simoes Casagrande, Jose Roberto deCastro, David Mendez Soares

Institutions: Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), Pontifícia Universidade Católica de Campinas

Language: English

Topic: Chemical and Physical Studies

Subfield: Biophysics

Field: Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology

Domain: Life Sciences

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $4,500

Funder: Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior