Investigation of Wettability Behavior and Surface Topology of PVC Materials Used in Outdoor Applications

Abstract

The wettability behavior is crucial in determining the materials' applications and durability. To assess the wettability behavior, the measurement of contact angle is utilized. In this study, commercially produced PVC profiles were sampled, and a contact angle measurement system, consisting of both software and hardware, was developed to measure the contact angle of the samples. The contact angle measurements were conducted by placing approximately 20 µl of distilled water on the samples, and each sample was measured six times, with the average being taken. A device for measuring roughness was used to determine the surface roughness of the samples, and the average roughness value was obtained from four different parts of each sample. Additionally, SEM images of each sample were taken to conduct surface and structural analyses. The correlation between roughness, SEM image analysis results, and contact angle was examined in the research study. Moreover, the wettability behavior of PVC materials was analyzed by evaluating the impact of the elements in their structure and their homogeneity on the contact angle values.