A model describing the electric double layers in clay-electrolyte systems containing particles with different surface charge densities was developed and used to calculate the film thickness of water present in a clay paste. The average water film thicknesses (~18 Å) calculated by considering the clay to contain 9 groups of particles of different charge densities did not differ from those calculated by assuming one average charge density; provided the minimum potential between particles remained constant. These values, however, were higher than those obtained from gravimetric water determinations by about 30%. The overestimation of the average thickness of the water films by the theoretical model is most likely due to the assumption of a complete parallel arrangement of particles in the paste and the validity of the Gouy theory for double layers on clays.

The accuracy to which Cu and Al coatings can be determined, and the effect this has on the quantification of the substrate, is investigated. Cu and Al coatings of nominally 5, 10, 15, and 20 nm were sputter coated onto polished Bi using two configurations of coater: One with the film thickness monitor (FTM) sensor colocated with the samples, and one where the sensor is located to one side. The FTM thicknesses are compared against those calculated from measured Cu Lα and Al Kα k-ratios using PENEPMA, GMRFilm, and DTSA-II. Selected samples were also cross-sectioned using focused ion beam. Both systems produced repeatable coatings, the thickest coating being approximately four times the thinnest coating. The side-located FTM sensor indicated thicknesses less than half those of the software modeled results, propagating on to 70% errors in substrate quantification at 5 kV. The colocated FTM sensor produced errors in film thickness and substrate quantification of 10–20%. Over the range of film thicknesses and accelerating voltages modeled both the substrate and coating k-ratios can be approximated by linear trends as functions of film thickness. The Al films were found to have a reduced density of ~2 g/cm2.

In the current study, a two-dimensional multi-relaxation time (MRT) lattice Boltzmann model which can tolerate high density ratios and low viscosity is employed to simulate the liquid droplet impact onto a curved target. The temporal variation of the film thickness at the north pole of the target surface is investigated. Three different temporal phases of the dynamics behavior, namely, the initial drop deformation phase, the inertia dominated phase and the viscosity dominated phase are reproduced and studied. The effect of the Reynolds number, Weber number and Galilei number on the film flow dynamics is investigated. In addition, the dynamic behavior of the droplet impact onto the side of the curved target is shown, and the effect of the contact angle, the Reynolds number and the Weber number are investigated.

The fabrication of capillary cylindrical crystals from colloidal suspension with controllable thickness by evaporation-induced self-assembly method has been investigated. The thickness of the hollow cylinders can be precisely controlled ranging from monolayer to tens of layers by varying the suspension concentration. With the increase of suspension concentration, the particles fill completely inside capillaries to form solid bulk crystals and the critical values are found in capillaries with various diameters. Scanning electron microscope images confirm the face-centered-cubic structure in both crystals, but with two different [111] crystalline directions. The experiment parameters, such as the solvent, concentration of the suspension and inner diameter of capillary are studied for the quality and the number of film layers control. Qualitative analysis has been performed to probe into the solvent evaporation modes and the mechanism of particle arrangement inside the capillary.