On the Use of Probe Liquids for Surface Energy Measurements

To assess the surface energy of solids, normally a set of probe liquids comprising polar and apolar compounds is used. Here we survey the surface tension of some frequently used probe liquids as given in the literature, for which a significant scatter appears to be present, and compare them with experimentally determined values. We discuss the influence of the liquid purity as well as the contact angle between the liquid and the Wilhelmy plate, which is commonly used for surface tension measurements. For hygroscopic polar probe liquids such as dimethyl sulfoxide, ethylene glycol, and formamide, water impurities appear to be of limited importance. Similarly, the amount of halogen impurities is of minor importance for diiodomethane and 1-bromonaphthalene, which decompose under the influence of light. Conversely, the influence of the contact angle for liquids that do not fully wet the plate, such as diiodomethane, is large in many cases, rendering a rather accurate determination of the contact angle necessary. Some discrepancies in the literature are indicated, and brief recommendations for future studies using such liquids are given.