Influence of capillary condensation on the near-critical solvation force.
We argue that in a fluid, or magnet, confined by adsorbing walls which favor liquid, or the (+) phase, the solvation (Casimir) force in the vicinity of the critical point is strongly influenced by capillary condensation which occurs below the bulk critical temperature T(c). At T slightly below and above T(c), a small bulk field h<0, which favors gas, or the (-) phase, leads to residual condensation and a solvation force which is much more attractive (at the same large wall separation) than that found exactly at the critical point. Our predictions are supported by results obtained from density-matrix renormalization-group calculations in a two-dimensional Ising strip subject to identical surface fields.
Drzewiński
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Institute of Low Temperature and Structure Research, Polish Academy of Sciences, P.O. Box 1410, Wrocław 2, Poland.
Maciołek
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Evans
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