--- type: "Article" title: "Goniometry and comparison of surface tensions" description: "Case study Case study: goniometry and comparison of surface tensions One of our customers wanted to measure the contact angle and surface tension of their materials. Accueil • Blog • Case study: goniometry and comparison of surface tensions The problem?..." resource: "https://filab.fr/en/blog/2025/11/goniometry-and-comparison-of-surface-tensions/" tags: ["Case study", "Characterization of Materials", "EN", "pll_691d8146dc2ce"] timestamp: "2026-01-06T07:17:14Z" published: "2025-12-02T07:05:35Z" language: "en" author: "bwa" --- # Goniometry and comparison of surface tensions Case study # Case study: goniometry and comparison of surface tensions One of our customers wanted to measure the contact angle and surface tension of their materials. [Home](https://filab.fr) • [News](https://filab.fr/?post_type=post) • Case study: goniometry and comparison of surface tensions ## The problem? **Faced with an issue related to the varying behaviour of its liquid product depending on different supplier formulations, one of our pharmaceutical clients wanted to measure the contact angle and surface tension of its samples deposited on three different substrates.** **The client called on FILAB to verify that the formulation, in this case eye drops, exhibited optimal wetting behaviour on several types of surfaces.**   ## Summary 01 Understanding the wetting behaviour of a drop on a substrate [](#cont-01) 02 The approach used [](#cont-02) 03 Conclusion of the study [](#cont-03) 01 ## Understanding the wetting behaviour of a drop on a substrate **Objective:** The aim of the study is to measure the contact angle and surface tension of several formulations on three different substrates. 1. 1. silicone support, 2. neutral polyethylene support, 3. polyethylene support with antimicrobial agent. ![](https://filab.fr/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/ecovadis-70.png) 02 ## The approach used ![](https://filab.fr/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/ecovadis-69.png) **Approach :** The technique used is **goniometry**, specifically the **sessile drop method**. A 4 µL drop of water (the model liquid) is placed on each sample. Measurements are taken a few seconds after placement, once the drop has reached a stable state. Each formulation is tested on the appropriate substrates. For each formulation, surface tensions and contact angles are measured and compared between the different substrates. 04 ## Conclusion of the study According to the analysis report, the **nature of the substrate significantly influences the behaviour of the formulations**. For the same formulation, the spreading and adhesion properties vary significantly depending on the contact surface. **Conclusion :** This study revealed that surface tensions are generally higher on polyethylene substrates than on silicone substrates. Observation of the droplets shows that the silicone substrate is more hydrophobic than the polyethylene substrate, since the droplet forms a larger contact angle and lower surface tension on this substrate. This simple observation perfectly illustrates the interaction between this formulation and the tested surfaces. Need help? Contact our team [](#filab-contact-form) ## Other case studies you may be interested in ### XPS weld passivation Comparative study of two XPS weld passivation processes [Learn more +](https://filab.fr/en/blog/2025/12/comparative-study-of-two-xps-weld-passivation-processes.md) ### Yellowing of silicone Silicones are now widely used in various fields thanks to their remarkable physical and chemical properties, such as excellent thermal stability, high resistance to oxidation and hydrolysis, and excellent gas permeability. [Learn more +](https://filab.fr/en/blog/2025/12/how-filab-helped-one-of-its-customers-understand-the-yellowing-phenomenon-of-a-silicone.md) ### Piston failure A piston is a crucial mechanical component in many mechanical devices and engineering systems. 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