Surface and interface laboratory testing expertise including contact angle, wettability, surface free energy and adhesive testing to test and investigate the physical properties of surface, interfaces, coating and adhesives
Understanding surface and interface properties is critical when developing a new coating or product, as it determines how materials interact, bond, and perform under real-world conditions. By measuring factors like contact angle, surface free energy, and surface tension, manufacturers can optimise adhesion, durability, and overall product performance before launch.
Why work with Intertek:
Experience: Our team have over 30 years of experience in supporting materials and application development across diverse sectors
Accreditation: Our laboratory network includes labs accredited under ISO/IEC 17025, ensuring credible testing performed by expert staff and state-of-the-art instrumentation
Industries we support: Pharmaceuticals, healthcare, medical devices, polymers, composites, packaging, energy, surface treatments, automotive, aerospace, textiles and fabrics, coatings, paints, adhesives
Why contact angle matters
Contact angle measurement is one of the simplest and most widely used ways to probe interfaces because it directly reflects the surface energy of the solid and the interfacial tension between phases. It can be used to examining substrate properties: homogeneity, wettability, adhesion, surface topography differences, quality control and cleanliness.
How we measure contact angle
We utilise Optical Tensiometry for the measurement of contact angles and surface free energy. Our instrument also enables surface and interfacial tension measurements by the pendant drop method and contact angle measurements by the meniscus method:
- Contact Angle – Sessile Drop: Contact angle measurements with a single (sessile) drop, can also be used for tilted drops and captive bubble experiments.
- Contact Angle – Batch Sessile Drop: Similar to the sessile drop measurements but useful for quality control measurements, large sample volumes and sample consistency across a surface.
- Meniscus (Contact Angle): The angle of liquid contact on the surface of elongated fine samples such as fibres or needles
Surface Tension
Surface tension allows you to examine the properties of a material, such as a liquid and examines the molecular properties which allow the liquid to resist external forces. Surface Tension is the interaction of a liquid with air. Alternatively Interfacial surface tension is classed as the interaction of either a liquid / liquid, liquid / solid or liquid / gas interface. We use these methods:
- Surface Tension – Pendant Drop Method
- Interfacial Surface Tension – Pendant Drop Method
- Critical Micelle Concentration
Surface Free Energy
Equivalent to Surface Tension but also applies to solids, e.g., a waxed surface that causes a drop of water to ‘ball-up’. This is often called Surface Free Energy to describe how a surface (e.g. an unpolished wood table) can spare energy to cause a liquid to spread. We use these methods:
- Contact Angle of polar and non-polar liquids – Sessile Drop: Contact angle measurements with a single (sessile) drop, can also be used for tilted drops and captive bubble experiments
- Contact Angle – Batch Sessile Drop: As above but for useful for quality control measurements, large sample volumes and sample consistency across a surface
Adhesion Science
Adhesion science requires expert insight, methodical processing and advanced interface knowledge. Our experts offer a package of physical (scratch resistance, etc) and chemical testing for coatings and adhesives including formulation analysis, peel-strength determination, optical & electron microscopy, image analysis and failure investigations (plane-of-failure analysis, delamination, pinholing and contamination investigations).
Your Testing Partner
Accelerate your product’s journey from concept to market with Intertek’s ISO/IEC 17025-accredited surface and interface science experts, delivering the data, insight, and confidence you need to ensure coatings, adhesives, and materials perform flawlessly in the real world.
Surface Analysis:
