Researchers refute textbook knowledge in molecular interactions

(University of Luxembourg) Van der Waals interactions between molecules are among the most important forces in biology, physics, and chemistry, as they determine the properties and physical behavior of many materials. For a long time, it was considered that these interactions between molecules are always attractive. Now, researchers from the University of Luxembourg found that in many rather common situations in nature the van der Waals force between two molecules becomes repulsive.
Source: EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health - Category: International Medicine & Public Health Source Type: news