2006 AIChE Annual Meeting

(352b) Generalization of Kelvin's Equation for Compressible Liquids in Nano-Confinement

Authors

Yiming Chen - Presenter, Johns Hopkins University
Timothy E. Wetzel, Johns Hopkins University
G.L. Aranovich, Johns Hopkins University
Marc D. Donohue, Johns Hopkins University
Kelvin's equation for a compressible liquid in nano-confinement is written in a form that takes into account not only Laplace's pressure, but also the oscillatory compression pressure. This leads to a simple analytical equation for pressure in nanocapillaries. The corrected equation is used to analyze properties of aqueous systems, including the oscillatory structural forces between attractive surfaces and inert surfaces, repulsive “hydration” forces between hydrophilic surfaces, and attractive “hydrophobic” forces between hydrophobic surfaces. Relative vapor pressure in a nanocapillary also is discussed.