Effect of treatment of molten quartz surface on its wetting by germanium droplets

Abstract

We have measured equilibrium contact angles formed by germanium droplets on surfaces of molten quarts and some other surfaces prepared by using different variants of abrasion, polishing and, in some cases, etching. Using the optical interference method, a roughness coefficient of the relief profile was measured. It has been found that, in dependence of the way of treatment of the solid surface, the equilibrium contact angle varies in a wide enough range: from 147° to 164°. A conclusion has been made that for the system under consideration the Wentzel-Deryagin equation is not fulfilled.

Keywords

• wetting
• equilibrium contact angle
• germanium droplet
• surface of molten quarts
• treatment of the solid surface
• Wentzel-Deryagin equation