Kinetics of wetting of a glass surface by molten polyethylene: An empirical approach

The spreading kinetics of molten polyethylene was studied on a flat type A glass surface. Empirical equations are known in the literature which fit the experimental data only at short times. We present a relationship between the surface free energy and the shape of the melt drop interpreted by the θ contact angle. Relating the experimental θ values obtained at different times with the surface free energy (F), we obtain curves F,t. Using isothermal data at 150°C, we could fit them with a linear relationship between In (F-F_∞)/(F₀-F_∞) and In t/t₀, where o and ∞ are related to initial and equilibrium conditions.