This paper explains how dyne inks compare to contact angle measurements obtained by the Surface Analyst.
Dyne inks (whether applied by cotton swabs or by using a dyne pen) provide an estimate of surface energy; what they actually measure is a property called wetting tension [1]: this is the surface tension of a liquid (a blend of either formamide and 2-ethoxyethanol or ethanol and water) that will just wet the surface (i.e., not bead up) under a carefully specified set of application conditions. The surface tension of this liquid is related to the surface energy of the substrate.
Download the full technical paper: "A Comparison of Dyne Inks & Dyne Pens with the Surface Analyst."
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