ABSTRACT
Triglyceride wetting properties on solid surfaces of different hydro-phobicities were investigated using three different methods, namely, the sessile drop method for static contact angle measurements, the Wilhelmy method for dynamic contact angle measurements, and the captive bubble method to investigate thin triglyceride film stability. For solid surfaces having a surface free energy higher than the surface tension of triglycerides (tributyrin, tricaprylin, and triolein), a qualitative correlation was observed between wetting and solid/triglyceride relative hydrophobicities. On surfaces presenting extreme hydrophobic or hydrophilic properties, medium-chain triglycerides had a behavior similar to that of long-chain unsaturated ones. On a high-energy surface (glass), tricaprylin showed an autophobic effect subsequent to molecular adsorption in trident conformation on the solid, observed with the three methods. Thin triglyceride films between an air bubble and a solid surface were stable for a short time, for solids with a surface free energy larger than the triglyceride surface tension. If the solid surface had a lower surface free energy, the thin film collapsed after a time interval which increased with triglyceride viscosity. Copyright 2000 Academic Press.
ABSTRACT
The surface free energy per unit area of a solid, gamma(S), is a fundamental property of materials and determines their surface and interfacial behavior in processes like wetting and adhesion. In this study the gamma(S) of a series of styrene-acrylonitrile random copolymers is evaluated. Three different approaches are used to determine the components in which the surface free energy can be decomposed. Using the geometric and the harmonic mean approach, the dispersive, gamma(d), and polar, gamma(p), components of the solid surface free energy were determined and compared to the Lifshitz-van der Waals, gamma(LW), and acid-base, gamma(AB), components using the approach developed by C. J. van Oss et al. (1987, Adv. Colloid Interface Sci. 28, 35). The acid-base approach was also used to evaluate the work of adhesion of the test liquids: water, glycerol, and thiodiglycol. It was found that the contact angles of these liquids follow closely the predictions of Cassie equation. The evaluation of the surface free energy components on one hand and the relative magnitude of the work of adhesion components on the other hand, suggest that below 50% of acrylonitrile the polystyrene repeating units are preferentially at the surface. Above 50% of acrylonitrile the segregation of the low-energy homopolymer at the surface decreases. Copyright 1999 Academic Press.
ABSTRACT
The surface free energy of polymeric films of polyvinylchloride (PVC) + poly(ethylene-co-vinylacetate) (EVA) blends was calculated using the van Oss treatment (Lifshitz and electron donor-electron acceptor components of surface free energy) and the Owens-Wendt treatment (dispersive and nondispersive components of surface free energy). Surface free energy results were found to be greatly dependent on the calculation method and on the number of standard liquids used for contact angle measurements. The nondispersive/donor-acceptor surface free energy component and the total surface free energy of polymeric films were always higher when the van Oss treatment was used compared to the Owens-Wendt treatment. Conversely, both methods led to similar apolar/Lifshitz components. All the calculation methods were in good agreement for the surface free energy of PVC; however, a discrepancy between the methods arose as EVA content in the blends increased. It seems that there is not yet a definite solution for the calculation of solid surface free energy. Further developments of existing models are needed in order to gain consistency when calculating this important physicochemical quantity. Copyright 1998 Academic Press.
