Contact angle measurement Surface tension analysis

Our equipmentAnalysis and characterizationPhysicochemical analysis & Spectroscopic

Contact angle measurement is used to determine the ability of a liquid to wet the surface of a solid. The shape that a drop takes on a surface depends on the surface tension of the fluid and the nature of the surface (chemistry, roughness).

- If the contact angle with water is less than 90°, the surface is hydrophilic.

- If the contact angle with water is greater than 90°, the surface is hydrophobic. Very hydrophobic surfaces (e.g. fluorinated) can have contact angles of up to 120°.

- Some surfaces with particular roughness can have contact angles with water greater than 150°, these surfaces are superhydrophobic

 

Examples of application

  • The contact angles are extremely sensitive to surface contamination and are therefore an excellent indicator of the cleanliness or oxidation state of the sample.
  • It is possible to determine the surface energy of a solid from measuring the contact angle of several different liquids.
  • Measuring the hysteresis, the difference between the forward and reverse angles, provides information about the surface texture.
  • Measuring the hysteresis, the difference between the forward and reverse angles, provides information about the surface texture.
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