KINETICS OF STEADY-STATE WETTING

The kinetics of wetting was studied by measuring the apparent contact angles formed when a solid is immersed into a liquid. Some angles are compared with data from the literature and it is concluded that the values measured are unambiguously determined. The kinetics of wetting is found to be determined by the bulk viscosity and the difference between the cosine values of the static and dynamic apparent contact angles. The experimental data are interpreted in terms of the lubrication theory and the activated flow theory, in which an external force acts upon the molecules. It is not possible to distinguish clearly the theory that describes the results better. © 1990.