Surface tension of polytetrafluoroethylene and its wetting by aqueous solution of some surfactants and their mixtures

Abstract

Measurements of the contact angle of aqueous solution of rhamnolipid (RL) mixture with n-octyl-β-d-glucopyranoside (OGP), Triton X-100 (TX-100) or/and sodium dodecylsulfate (SDDS) on polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) were made. To this aim there was used a plate whose surface topography was analyzed by means of optical profilometry method. Additionally, plate surface chemistry was studied employing the Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The obtained values of contact angle were discussed based on the PTFE surface tension (γSV) as well as the Lifshitz-van der Waals component of the water surface tension (γWLW). The contact angle of aqueous solution of several surfactants and their mixtures on PTFE was also considered on the basis of γSV and γWLW. It occured that by using the values of γSV, γWLW and surface tension of the aqueous solution of surfactants and their mixtures, the contact angle on PTFE can be predicted. It also occured that changes of adhesion tension of aqueous solutions of surfactants as a function of their concentration can be determined by the exponential function of the first or second order. Using such functions Gibbs surface excess concentration of surfactants at the PTFE-water interface, mole fraction of surfactant in the mixed monolayer and fraction of the area occupied by given surfactants in the monolayer were determined. Gibbs surface free energy of adsorption of a given surfactant in the presence of another one and adhesion work of the aqueous solution of surfactants to the PTFE surface were also evaluated.