McGill.CA / Science / Department of Physics

CPM Seminar

The Vapour Pressure Paradox: Fact or Fiction

Dr. John Katsaras

National Research Council
Neutron Program for Materials Research
Chalk River, Ontario

It is well known that aligned lipid multibilayers hydrated from vapor, at 100% relative humidity, hydrate to a lesser extent than their liposomal counterparts in contact with liquid water. This is the widely known and accepted vapour pressure paradox. Since the chemical potential of water vapour at 100% relative humidity is the same as that of bulk water, how does one explain this differential behaviour of water when attempting to hydrate the same material. Possible explanations and recent neutron diffraction data will be presented.

Thursday, May 7th, 15:30
Ernest Rutherford Physics Building, Boardroom (room 105)