Abstract.
The influence of the surface roughness of polypropylene on the contact angle hysteresis is investigated by means of ethylene glycol drops in order to estimate the true Young’s equilibrium contact angle. A new relationship between the contact angle hysteresis and Wenzel’s contact angle is derived. In addition, the determination of Wenzel’s roughness factor by means of scanning force microscopy opens an alternative way to obtaining Young’s equilibrium contact angle without any surface manipulation. The experimental results presented verify this new approach.
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Received: 2 September 2002 / Accepted: 2 September 2002 / Published online: 5 March 2003
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Kamusewitz, H., Possart, W. Wetting and scanning force microscopy on rough polymer surfaces: Wenzel’s roughness factor and the thermodynamic contact angle . Appl Phys A 76, 899–902 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00339-002-1972-9
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00339-002-1972-9