ASTM International’s paint and related coatings, materials, and applications committee (D01) has approved a new standard that will be useful for characterizing the wettability of surfaces. The new standard (D8597) describes how to make such measurements by contact angle measurement using portable goniometers. 

Surfaces that are easy to wet are more likely to provide good adhesion and appearance and less likely to suffer surface-tension related defects, such as cratering, pin holing, orange peel, and fish eyes.

ASTM member Giles Dillingham notes that the recent development of portable handheld and robotically employed contact angle measurement instrumentation is allowing these measurements to be made directly on complex manufactured items during production. Examples include automobile bodies and components, aircraft, sports equipment, consumer electronic devices, and medical tools.

“Contact angle measurements are a direct, simple, and inexpensive way to monitor the surface properties of an object, for example the presence of contaminants, the level of surface treatment, as well as the uniformity of these characteristics across a surface,” said Dillingham, founder and chief scientist of Brighton Science. “This makes contact angles a powerful and practical means for monitoring and controlling processes that depend on surface composition, including adhesive bonding, painting, coating, and sealing, as well as the cleanliness of critical products such as medical devices.”

ASTM welcomes participation in the development of its standards. Become a member at JOIN ASTM.

To purchase standards, contact ASTM International customer relations (tel +1.877.909.ASTM; https://www.astm.org/contact).

United Nations Sustainable Development Goals Supported: