Two of the most important properties of droplet surfaces are contact angle and surface tension. The traditional means for measuring these properties require expensive, bulky, and complex technology.

VISTA Associate, Professor Alidad Amirfazli, and his team at the Surface Engineering and Instrumentation Lab (SEiL), are breaking this 30-year-old design mold. Using a VISTA Prototyping fund, the engineering group has built a measurement instrument with smartphone technology that entirely circumvents the need for bulky and expensive fixtures and hardware.

“This new and improved technology is a significant advancement in the field of surface science.” said Amirfazli. The technology introduces a contact angle and surface tension measurement instrument that is cost-efficient, compact and portable.

The system also enables integrated Internet connectivity, allowing for better document management and record keeping. In addition to its cost-effectiveness and portability, the smartphone-based instrument has been shown to match, and in some cases outperforms, top-of-the-line traditional instruments.