Dewetting and Hydrophobic Interaction in Physical and Biological Systems

Abstract

Hydrophobicity manifests itself differently on large and small length scales. This review focuses on large-length-scale hydrophobicity, particularly on dewetting at single hydrophobic surfaces and drying in regions bounded on two or more sides by hydrophobic surfaces. We review applicable theories, simulations, and experiments pertaining to large-scale hydrophobicity in physical and biomolecular systems and clarify some of the critical issues pertaining to this subject. Given space constraints, we cannot review all the significant and interesting work in this active field.