Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 16, 2026
Accurate Determination of the Equilibrium Surface Tension Values with Area Perturbation Tests
Published on: August 30, 2019
Improved methodology to measure surface tension and its application to polystyrene or poly(methyl methacrylate) in
Martha A Cerpa-Gallegos1, Carlos F Jasso-Gastinel, Vicente A Lara-Valencia
1Chemical Engineering Department, University of Guadalajara, Blvd. Gral. Marcelino García Barragán # 1451, Guadalajara, Jalisco. C.P. 44430, Mexico.
Abstract:
Several methods to measure surface tension involve some inconveniences when applied to moderate or highly viscous polymer solutions. Therefore, an improved version of the weight drop method (WDM) is proposed here. In addition, a comparative analysis of methods is carried out, including the drop profile (DPM), the selected planes (SPM), the WDM and the one proposed here (WDSM), finding that the WDSM is as easy to apply as the SPM and the WDM, although in practical conditions it is much more accurate than either of them. Moreover, the WDSM allows to reproduce the results that can be obtained using DPM, but, in general, it is much easier to implement and apply than such method. The WDSM was used to determine surface tension in polystyrene or poly(methyl methacrylate) in styrene solutions, where the dependence of such property with polymer average molecular weight and polymer concentration was experimentally evaluated.
