van der Waals

American  

[van-der wawlz, wahlz] / ˈvæn dər ˌwɔlz, ˌwɑlz /

noun

1. Johannes Diderik, 1837–1923, Dutch theoretical physicist; Nobel Prize 1910.

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adjective

1. Also van der Waals'. of or relating to the equation or forces associated with the work of Johannes van der Waals.

van der Waals British  

/ vɑn dər ˈwaːls /

noun

1. Johannes Diderik (joːˈhɑnəs ˈdiːdərik). 1837–1923, Dutch physicist, noted for his research on the equations of state of gases and liquids: Nobel prize for physics in 1910

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van der Waals Scientific  

/ văn′dərwôlz′ /

1. Dutch physicist who accounted for many phenomena concerning gases and liquids by postulating the existence of intermolecular forces and a finite molecular volume. He derived a new equation of state for gases and liquids (now named for him), and for this work he received the 1910 Nobel Prize for physics.

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

van der Waals

In these systems, the semiconductor and insulating layer bond together much more strongly instead of remaining loosely connected by van der Waals forces.

From Science Daily ● May 9, 2026

The nature of the van der Waals forces between layers allows researchers to use Scotch tape to peel the layers into atomic thickness.

From Science Daily ● May 1, 2024

The team in Würzburg is now focused on identifying more van der Waals materials that can serve as protective layers -- and they already have a few prospects in mind.

From Science Daily ● Mar. 1, 2024

"In terms of scaling and making these magnetic devices competitive for commercial applications, van der Waals materials are the way to go," Kajale says.

From Science Daily ● Feb. 22, 2024

By contrast, van der Waals magnetic materials are intrinsically layered and structured in such a way that the surface remains perfectly smooth, even as researchers peel off layers to make thinner devices.

From Science Daily ● Feb. 22, 2024