Waxes penetrate into the ski-base, however, the penetration depth is very small, according to many different research studies the penetration depth is max. 1 microns, 1.000 nano-meters.
Regardless of research study results the value of max. 1 microns, 1.000 nano-meters for wax penetration into the ski base material seems to be very realistic.
- the top surface of the ski base is created by NANO fibre-like structure where wax molecules are accommodated in free cavities, the normal length of the NANO fibres or depth of the NANO fibre-like structure is ca. 250 nano-meters
- in this “open” top surface there is enough free space to accommodate wax molecules
- inside the NANO fibre-like structure which depth is ca. 250 nano-meters are cavities and free spaces in the size of a few tens of nano-meters whereas the size of individual wax molecules is amounting to a few of nano-meters
- in this “open” top surface the most of wax molecules are accommodated
- some wax molecules can also penetrate a bit deeper into the ski base but only in so called amorphous regions inside the bulk polymer, crystalline regions cannot be entered by wax molecules
- below the open top fibre-like structure, i.e. in the bulk polymer the free cavities are - however - much smaller (typical range for UHMWPE is 5 to 20 nano-meters)
- at the same time the very top surface of the ski base consists of crystalline regions and amorphous regions separated by transitional regions, waxes and additives contained in waxes can be absorbed in amorphous regions only, crystalline regions are not accessible for waxes and additives.
Most of wax molecules are accommodated in the open top surface which is not much deeper than 250 nano-meters. Wax molecules can be retained between the NANO hairs. Wax molecules and NANO hairs of the polymer create the so called gliding surface.