How does ethane wet different substrates?

Abstract

Computer simulations are employed to investigate the adsorption mechanisms of ethane on both homogeneous and inhomogeneous substrates. For homogeneous surfaces, the full range of surface phase transitions - from incomplete to complete wetting - can be accessed by tuning the strength of the surface potential. The resulting layering transition temperatures show excellent agreement with experimental measurements of ethane on graphite. By contrast, although all inhomogeneous substrates exhibit a prewetting transition, the adsorption mechanisms are strongly influenced by the stripe width.