Spreading Characteristics of Molecularly Thin Lubricant on Surfaces With Groove-Shaped Textures: Effects of Molecular Weight and End-Group Functionality

Effects of molecular weight and end-group functionality on spreading of molecularly thin perfluoropolyether (PFPE) film over solid surfaces with groove-shaped textures have been studied by experiments and Monte Carlo simulations. In the experiments, lubricant spreading on a surface with groove-shaped textures was measured by making use of the phenomenon in which diffracted light weakens in the lubricant-covered region. It is found that grooves serve to accelerate spreading and this effect increases for deeper grooves, and also the accelerating rate becomes larger for a lubricant having a larger molecular weight or functional end-groups. In the simulations, the Monte Carlo method based on the Ising model was extended to enable us to evaluate the effect of molecular weight on the spreading of non-functional lubricant inside a groove. The validity of the newly developed simulation method was well confirmed from the agreement between the simulation and experimental results.