Optical contact angle measurement

Optical contact angles

The optical analysis of drops that hang from a dosing needle or are placed on a solid surface facilitates the determination of different surface and interfacial parameters. The contact angle that a liquid drop establishes on a solid surface characterises the solid’s wetting behaviour with said liquid.

Solids meet liquids

Having measured the contact angles of multiple test liquids the surface energy of the solid can be determined and the latter can be used to calculate the work of adhesion for different liquids. The reliable and experimentally robust measurement of the contact angle aids on the development of surface coatings, composite materials, paints and varnishes or cleaning agents. The measurement of contact angle helps in all situations where solids and liquids meet and advantage is to be gained by the control of wetting and adhesion properties.

The optical contact angle measuring and contour analysis systems of the DataPhysics OCA series combine high resolution optics, exact liquid dosing and precise sample positioning into powerful and reliable measuring systems.