Surface Cleanliness - Biolin Scientific

Contact angle measurements are a reliable method to assess surface cleanliness, as they provide a quantitative evaluation of wettability. A lower contact angle typically indicates a cleaner, more hydrophilic surface, while a higher contact angle suggests contamination that increases surface hydrophobicity. This technique is widely used in industries such as manufacturing, electronics, and medical devices, where surface cleanliness directly impacts adhesion and performance. By measuring contact angles before and after cleaning processes, companies can validate the effectiveness of treatments like solvent cleaning, plasma treatment, and ultrasonic cleaning.

Rapid assessment

Contact angle measurements allow quick method to assess the cleanliness of the surface. One measurement point is taken in a matter of seconds.

Non-Destructive method

Contact angle measurements are commonly done by using water as a probe liquid. Clean water doesn't contaminate or damage the surface making the method non-destructive.

Quantitative analysis

While other wettability evaluation techniques are available, contact angle is the only one that can provide a true quantitative analysis of the surface.

• Determine the hydrophilicity and hydrophobility of the surface

• Measure advancing and receding contact angles for more in-depth analysis

• Study surface free energy to understand polar and dispersive interactions

Download the white paper to learn more about how cleanliness and adhesion can be evaluated through contact angle measurements.

Contact angle

Dynamic contact angle

Biolin Scientific offers wide range of optical tensiometersand related accessories under the brand Attension. For cleanliness evaluation,one can choose from entry level Theta Lite to fully automated Theta Flow which allows automated surface mapping of up to 12” silicon wafers.

Full range of instruments available

From entry level systems to fully automated instruments

Intuitive instruments

Easy to implement in the lab with default recipes in place

All-inclusive OneAttension software

All measurement modes readily available for you to explore.

Blog post

Surface cleanliness is an important topic in many industrial areas. Read our blog post on "How to evaluate surface cleanliness through contact angle measurement"

Webinar

Learn why contact angle measurement is such a powerful tool for quality control from our webinar on Surface evaluation for good wettability and coating adhesion

Overview

Contact Angle Measurements in Electronics - gives four examples of how contact angle measurements can be used in the electronic industry.