Topic: Measuring surface tension, surface tension determination

Plasma technology: Determination and measuring of the surface tension of starting materials

Surface tension is the most important measure for evaluating the acceptance of printing ink, or the probable adhesive strength of an adhesive layer or of a surface coating.

In order to evaluate the optimum parameters for pretreatment by means of plasma technology the surface tension of the starting materials is determined, e.g. by Plasmatreat’s test ink method. The most important test methods for determining surface tension are determination by means of test inks, the contact angle method and dynamic measurement.

Evaluating surface tension

Low surface tension, less than  28 mN/m	Good conditions for adhesion, surface tension of 42 mN/m or more