Measuring the contact angle of water droplets on foliar surfaces

Abstract

We describe a novel technique for measuring static contact angles on foliar surfaces that uses a micromanipulator and a 35-mm camera equipped with a microlens, autobellows, focusing rail, and tripod. After placing droplets on foliage, the contact angle is photographed. Negatives are mounted as slides, and the contact angle is measured from the projected image. We suggest that this method has a number of advantages over those previously used.