EXPERIMENTAL-STUDY OF A NANOMETRIC LIQUID BRIDGE WITH A SURFACE FORCE APPARATUS

We use a surface force apparatus to measure the forces exerted between cobalt surfaces by a n-decane liquid bridge formed by capillary condensation. The solid surfaces are wetted by the liquid and have an average roughness of 2 nm. When the sphere moves toward the plane, the liquid bridge forms by coalescence of two wetting films coating the surfaces. The static attractive force exerted by the liquid bridge is well described by the macroscopic theory of capillarity down to curvature radii of 8 nm. We present preliminary results on the viscous damping induced by the liquid bridge.