title: Molecular simulations of dewetting
abstract: We have studied the breakup and subsequent fluid flow in very thin films of partially wetting liquid on solid substrates, using molecular dynamics simulations. The liquid is made of short chain molecules interacting with Lennard-Jones interactions, and the solid is modeled as a clean crystal lattice whose atoms have thermal oscillations. Films below a critical thickness are found to exhibit a spontaneous spinodal-like instability leading to dry patches, as predicted theoretically and observed in some experiments. Liquid withdrawing from a dry patch collects in a moving rim whose fluid dynamics is only partially in agreement with earlier predictions.
authors.affiliation: Benjamin Levich Institute and Department of Physics, City College of the City University of New York, New York, New York 10031, USA.
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Koplik
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Banavar