Estimation and comparison of solid-liquid interfacial surface free energy of newly fabricated micro-structured surface by contact angle measurement

The surface free energy (SFE) of solid surfaces is a characteristic parameter of solid due the behavior of liquids on solid surfaces depends on its surface free energy and the value depends on the nature and roughness of the surface of material. Surface Free Energy of solids can be calculated, using various theoretical methods. Among all the methods, the contact angle (CA) measurement on a surface is considered the most practical one to obtain the surface free energy. The surface free energy and their polar and dispersive component for some our daily uses, common smooth surfaces like aluminum, copper, stainless steel, polystyrene, PET, glass and artificially prepared micro-structured rough surface by templating the leaves of Borassus flbellifier and Strelitzia reginae tree. The solid surface free energy was calculated from Owens- Owendts method. The advantage of this method on the simplicity of the materials used, namely non-harmful and low-cost products such as water, glycerol, ethylene glycol and propanol, offering a useful pedagogical opportunity to discuss basic but relevant concepts regarding surface science phenomena. Surface energy characteristics of the solid surfaces were investigated using contact angle measurements for liquids having different surface energy components, water, glycerol, benzyl alcohol and DMSO. Various contact angle parameters such as total solid surface free energy, interfacial free energy, work of adhesion and spreading coefficient were investigated for those mentioned solid surfaces. The work of adhesion and interfacial free energy, spreading coefficient, and work of adhesion changed depending on surface composition and roughness and the wetting thermodynamics was investigated by analyzing dispersive and polar component surface energies of solids.

• Supervision