A Quantitative Approach to Measure Work of Adhesion

A new method to quantify solid–liquid work of separation is introduced in this chapter. In this method, a drop is subjected to a slowly and systematically increasing gravitational pull until the solid–liquid contact area starts to shrink spontaneously. The work of separation is then calculated in analogy to Tate’s law. The work of separation thus obtained is independent of drop size, agrees with Dupre’s theory, and is equal to work of adhesion.