Incomplete wetting of methane on graphite at low temperatures

Abstract
The wetting behaviour of methane on graphite has been studied by means of low energy electron diffraction and reflection high energy electron diffraction in the temperature range 14-40 K. Incomplete wetting, or crystallite formation, is detected over the entire temperature range for films with thicknesses of 15 or more layers. Isosteric heats of adsorption are reported for the 2nd, 3rd and 4th adsorbed layers, and agree with earlier measurements recorded at 77 K