The ISO 15989 outlines the test method for measuring the water contact angle on corona-treated polymer films. It provides guidance on assessing the wettability of polymer surfaces, a property that affects their ability to retain inks, coatings, adhesives, and other substances.
ISO 15989: Application and Use
The wettability of a polymer film can be increased by several surface treatment methods, such as corona-treatment. An increased wettability results in a better retention of inks, coatings, adhesives and other substances on the polymer films, which is important in many industrial applications. Contact angle measurements offer insights into the wettability of polymer films, or, in other words, into the effectiveness of different surface treatments. The water contact angle describes the angle between a plane solid surface (the polymer film) and a liquid drop resting on this surface.
ISO 15989: Experimentation
Apparatus
According to the ISO 15989, a water contact angle measurement can be conducted with a Contact Angle Meter, or Goniometer, which must include the following components:
- light source
- viewing optics
- a horizontal, flat stage to place the specimen on
- a liquid-delivery system such as a microsyringe
All Contact Angle Meters, or Goniometers, of the OCA series from DataPhysics Instruments comply with this standard.
Procedure and Calculation
In practice, the test method of the ISO 15989 involves placing droplets of water on the surface of a corona-treated polymer film and subsequently measuring their contact angles. The contact angles are used to determine the wetting properties of the film according to a chart given in the standard.
The ISO 15989 is in use since 2004 and was last reviewed in 2022. Please note that it is identical to ASTM D 5946.
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