Determination of contact angles: Consistency between experiment and theory

Abstract

The Lifshitz–van der Waals theory has been used to calculate the contact angles of dispersive liquids and solids: diiodomethane, α-bromonaphtalene, methylnaphtalene, benzene, and n-octane, liquids on polytetrafluoroethylene, polystyrene, polyisobutene, polyvinylchloride, and polyethylene. The theoretical calculation of the contact angles was based on the nonretarded Hamaker constants which have been calculated from the dielectric properties of the materials and application of the Lifshitz theory. These theoretical contact angles were compared with the experimental contact angles measured by the Wilhelmy plate method. Closely related values have been found for the theoretical and experimental contact angles.