Long-range surface forces and their role in the progress of nanotechnology

Different theories of stability of liquid nanolayers, disperse and colloid systems are considered. The brief analysis of constrains of the conventional Derjaguin - Landau - Verwey - Overbeek (DLVO) theory, in particular, of the calculations of the van der Waals forces between macroscopic bodies, separated by a thin liquid interlayer, is given. Papers devoted to the analysis and the calculations of non-DLVO interactions of various nature are reviewed. The particular attention is paid to forces due to the inhomogeneity of liquid interlayers. The problem of validity of the existing approaches for solving the challenges of nanotechnology, especially for the calculations of forces of interactions across the nanofilms and between the nanoparticles is discussed.