Rapid contact angle and surface tension measurements with easy & accurate analysis.
The Ossila Contact Angle Goniometer provides a fast, reliable, and easy method to measure contact angles and surface tensions of liquid droplets.
With its low price, compact size, and intuitive PC software - the barrier-to-entry is lowered, enabling more researchers than before to perform these useful and versatile measurements. It is covered by our FREE 2-year warranty.
Features
Affordable - Emerging camera technologies have allowed high-resolution images to be captured for much lower material costs. This means we can reduce the price of contact angle and surface tension measurements, without compromising on quality.
Simple to Use - The system comes complete with PC software that provides a simple and intuitive interface for contact angle and surface tension measurements. We also provide user guides and videos to help you get the most out of your experiments.
Compact Size - The small footprint of the system lets you perform measurements in labs even when space is lacking. With a total bench area of 10 cm x 30 cm, you won"t need to devote a whole desk to a single piece of equipment.
Easier Ink Optimisation - A low price and small size makes it possible for labs to have multiple systems. This enables constant access to contact angle and surface tension measurements, without needing to wait in line for a colleague to finish using it. The continuous feedback you gain from in-line measurements will speed up your ink formulation process.
High-Resolution Video - Take quality videos of your droplets using the high-resolution camera and a specially selected imaging lens. Watch and edit your videos and images however you like by exporting them as .avi and .png files.
Rapid Image Capture - The high frame rate of the system allows you to study the wetting process in detail, and gain increased insight into film formation.
Components
Contact Angle Goniometer - The system comprises a high resolution USB camera and manual lens, a powerful backlight and an adaptable sample stage.
Contact Angle Software - The contact angle software lets you record video and perform both contact angle and surface tension measurements.
Syringe Clamping Mechanism - A versatile and adaptable clamp system will secure a wide range of droplet dispensing equipment.
Syringe - A 25µl glass syringe with a removable blunt tip needle. Ideal for dispensing droplets for both contact angle and surface tension measurements.
Applications
Contact Angle and Surface Tension measurements are used for a range of applications including:
- Thin Film Scale-Up
- Material/Solvent Compatability
- Substrate Cleaning
- Hydrophobic Coatings
Contact Angle Goniometer
| Measurement Accuracy | ± 1o |
| Measurement Range | 5o - 180o |
| Overall Product Dimensions | Width: 100 mmHeight: 100 mmDepth: 300 mm |
| Stage Area | 50 mm x 50 mm |
| Maximum Sample Thickness | 20 mm |
| Maximum Camera Resolution | 1920 x 1080 |
Syringe Specifications
| Syringe Volume | 25 µl |
| Needle Diameter | 0.47 mm |
| Needle Length | 51 mm |
| Tip Shape | Blunt |
Software Requirements
| Supported Operating Systems | Windows Vista, 7, 8, and 10 (64 bit) |
| Minimum Monitor Resolution | 1920 x 1080 |
| Required Hard Drive Space | 450 MB |
The Contact Angle Goniometer comes complete with user-friendly measurement software. This software is designed to be as intuitive as possible, however we also provide guides on how to use it most effectively.
This PC software has two main interactive sections: recording and analysis. The analysis section allows the user to measure contact angle and surface tension.
Recording
Capture high-resolution videos in the recording section of the software. The Videos will automatically be saved to destination of your choosing and are saved in .avi file format, which means you can watch them in any common video player or edit them in a video editor. When loaded into the contact angle software, the videos will appear as a series of images which can be analysed individually. The video below shows a droplet being dispensed and recorded using the Contact Angle software.
Analysis
Measure contact angle and surface tension of your recorded droplets in the analysis section of the software. The software performs an edge detection algorithm on the droplet, then uses an appropriate fitting technique to calculate its properties.
Contact Angle
For droplets with contact angles above 10o, a polynomial curve is fitted to the droplet edge. Where the curve crosses the baseline, its tangent is used to determine the contact angle.
If a droplet is below 10o, then a circle fit is used for contact angle measurements instead.
For more information on contact angles and droplet fitting, please see our contact angle theory and measurement guide guide.
Surface Tension
The software can also perform optical tensiometry measurements on droplets suspended from a needle tip. A series of droplet models are created using the droplet radius and liquid density. The models are compared with the detected edge and the closest match is used to determine the surface tension of the liquid.
The video below shows the meausurement of a contact angle using the Contact Angle Software.
Contact angle measurements are a fundamental tool in researching a huge variety of topics. Almost any field of materials science can learn something from a contact angle measurement. The examples given below are just a few of the many applications that the goniometer can be used for.
Thin Film Scale-Up - For solution-processable technologies such as perovskite solar cells or OLEDs, moving from laboratory-scale device fabrication to a commercial scale is one of the great challenges in research. Scalable deposition techniques are being used to create increasingly large devices. For instance, a researcher who usually fabricates devices using a spin coater may want to create larger devices by using a slot-die coater. To do this, they will require new inks with different wettability levels. The Contact Angle Goniometer allows them to quickly identify the solutions that will wet to a substrate surface and form uniform thin-films.
Material/Solvent CompatabilityWhen solution processing thin film electronic devices, it is common to deposit a new material layer on top of another previously-deposited layer. The choice of solvent and processing technique will determine whether or not this is possible. If the first layer in the stack can be dissolved in the same solvent as the second, damage can occur. A contact angle measurement can help you find out if the solution you deposit is penetrating the layer that is is deposited onto.
Substrate Cleaning - The contact angle of a droplet is partly determined by the surface on which it is deposited. The goniometer can therefore be a useful tool for determining substrate cleanliness and making sure there are no unwanted pieces of dust or dirt on the substrate. For example, when using an UV ozone cleaner to remove organic contaminants from an ITO substrate, a contact angle measurement allows you to directly measure the success of your technique.
Hydrophobic Coating - Sometimes we do not want a solution to wet well to a surface, and coatings are developed to force a liquid to dewet upon contact. The goal of a hydrophobic coating is therefore to create a high contact angle between a liquid and a substrate. A contact angle goniometer is a required piece of equipment for studying and improving these coatings.
To the best of our knowledge the technical information provided here is accurate. However, Ossila assume no liability for the accuracy of this information. The values provided here are typical at the time of manufacture and may vary over time and from batch to batch.
About Ossila Founded in 2009 by organic electronics research scientists, Ossila aims to provide the components, equipment, and materials to enable intelligent and efficient scientific research and discovery. Over a decade on, we're proud to supply our products to over 1000 different institutions in over 80 countries globally. With decades of academic and industrial experience in developing organic and thin-film LEDs, photovoltaics, and FETs, we know how long it takes to establish a reliable and efficient device fabrication and testing process. As such, we have developed coherent packages of products and services - enabling researchers to jump-start their organic electronics development program. The Ossila Guarantee Free Worldwide Shipping Eligible orders ship free to anywhere in the world Fast Secure Dispatch Rapid dispatch on in-stock items via secure tracked courier services Quality Assured Backed up by our free two year warranty on all equipment Clear Upfront Pricing Clear pricing in over 30 currencies with no hidden costs Large Order Discounts Save 8% on orders over $10,300.00 and 10% on orders over $12,900.00 Expert Support Our in-house scientists and engineers are always ready to help Trusted Worldwide Great products and service. Have already recommended to many people. Dr. Gregory Welch, University of Calgary Wonderful company with reasonably priced products and so customer-friendly! Shahriar Anwar, Arizona State University The Ossila Team Prof. David Lidzey - Chairman As professor of physics at the University of Sheffield, Prof. David Lidzey heads the university’s Electronic and Photonic Molecular Materials research group (EPMM). During his career, David has worked in both academic and technical environments, with his main areas of research including hybrid organic-inorganic semiconductor materials and devices, organic photonic devices and structures and solution processed photovoltaic devices. Throughout his academic career, he has authored over 220 peer-reviewed papers. Dr. James Kingsley - Managing Director James is a co-founder and managing director of Ossila. With a PhD in quantum mechanics/nanotech and over 12 years’ experience in organic electronics, his work on the fabrication throughput of organic photovoltaics led to the formation of Ossila and the establishment of a strong guiding ethos: to speed up the pace of scientific discovery. James is particularly interested in developing innovative equipment and improving the accessibility of new materials for solution-processable photovoltaics and hybrid organic-inorganic devices. Dr. Alastair Buckley - Technical Director Alastair is a lecturer of Physics at the University of Sheffield, specialising in organic electronics and photonics. He is also a member of the EPMM research group with a focus on understanding and applying the intrinsic advantages of functional organic materials to a range of optoelectronic devices. Alastair’s experience has not been gained solely in academia; he previously led the R&D team at MicroEmissive Displays and therefore has extensive technical experience in OLED displays. He is also the editor and contributor of "Organic Light-Emitting Diodes" by Elsevier. Our Research Scientists Our research scientists and product developers have significant experience in the synthesis and processing of materials and the fabrication and testing of devices. The vision behind Ossila is to share this experience with academic and industrial researchers alike, and to make their research more efficient. By providing products and services that take the hard work out of the device fabrication process, and the equipment to enable accurate, rapid testing, we can free scientists to focus on what they do best - science. Customer Care Team The customer care team is responsible for the customer journey at Ossila. From creating and providing quotes, through to procurement and inventory management, the customer care team is devoted to providing first class customer service. The general day to day responsibilities of a customer care team member involves processing customers orders and price queries, answering customer enquiries, arranging the shipment of parcels and notifying customers of updates on their orders. Collaborations and Partnerships Please contact the customer care team for all enquires, including technical questions about Ossila products or for advice on fabrication and measurement processes. Location and Facilities Ossila is based at the Solpro Business Park in Attercliffe, Sheffield. We operate a purpose-built synthetic chemistry and device testing laboratory on site, where all of our high-purity, batch-specific polymers and other formulations are made. This is complemented by a dedicated suite of thin-film and organic electronics testing and analysis tools within the device fabrication cluster housed in a class 1000 cleanroom in the EPSRC National Epitaxy Facility in Sheffield. All our electronic equipment is manufactured on-site.
