Quantitative Detection of Peel Ply Derived Contaminants via Wettability Measurements

Abstract The theoretical relationship between surface energies and adhesion are briefly reviewed. Surface energies obtained from contact angles measurements can be extremely useful but difficult to obtain in manufacturing and field environments. A novel technique for probing surface energies via liquid drops, created using ballistic deposition, was investigated. The use of this technique as a quality assurance tool for detecting peel ply derived siloxane contaminants is discussed. It is shown that a readily detectable threshold amount of contamination is required to affect fracture toughness, and that the amount is similar for several distinct adhesive systems.