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Measuring The Nanomechanics Of Nanoconfined Water Layers, Shah Haidar Khan

Wayne State University Dissertations

Nanoconfined water has been the subject of special interest due to its applications in various fields such as biology, geology, medicine, and engineering tribology. While there is a general agreement on the layering of water molecules along atomically smooth surfaces, the behavior and properties of nanoconfined water is still poorly understood. A significant controversy exists whether there is a phase transformation imposed by confinement. We have measured the stiffness and damping coefficient of nanoconfined water using a small amplitude (0.5-1 Å) atomic force microscope. The results were analyzed with the help of two viscoelastic models, the Kelvin model and the …