Comment on "Layering transition in confined molecular thin films: Nucleation and growth"

Abstract

When fluid is confined between two molecularly smooth surfaces to a few molecular diameters, it shows a large enhancement of its viscosity. From experiments it seems clear that the fluid is squeezed out layer by layer. A simple solution of the Stokes equation for quasi-two-dimensional confined flow, with the assmption of layer-by-layer flow is found. The results presented here correct those in Phys. Rev. B, 50, 5590 (1994), and show that both the kinematic viscosity of the confined fluid and the coefficient of surface drag can be obtained from the time dependence of the area squeezed out. Fitting our solution to the available experimental data gives the value of viscosity which is ~7 orders of magnitude higher than that in the bulk.