A Simple Method to Measure Wettability and Surface Energy of TiO Coatings

SCHUSTER, JONATHAN M; MARIO ROBERTO ROSENBERGER; SCHVEZOV, C. E.

San Antonio, TX

Congreso; TMS 2013. 142st ANNUAL MEETING & EXHIBITION; 2013

TMS

The results of the surface properties; wettability and surface energy measured in Ti-6Al-4V alloys are presented. The measurements were made using simple and fast methods developed for these purposes. Alloy samples were polished up to obtain a mirror surface Ra=39nm. The contact angle was measured using the sesile drop method. The surface energy was calculated using the theoretical model of Owens and Wendt. The contact angle with water (wettability) is 51º and it was observed that the drops adopt an axial symmetry. The surface energy is 49 mJ/m^2; this value is similar to those reported in the literature, indicating the reliability of the method. It was concluded that the method is fast, simple and reliable to measure the surface energy and wettability properties of alloys and coatings which are necessary to analyze and predict the biological response of blood and other body fluids to coatings of different nature.