Line tension and nanometer drop wettability on solid surfaces

The dimensional dependence of the angle of solid surface wetting by a small drop on the latter’s size R and radius of the wetting outline r is considered. Numerical values of specific linear energy γℓ(r) and line tension σr(r) of the wetting outline are calculated for a nanometer tin drop–substrate surface–aluminum film system. It is shown that wetting angle θ (R,r) in the drop–substrate surface system increases as the wetting outline’s radius decreases. © Allerton Press, Inc., 2014.