abstract
The applicability of Washburn capillary rise (WCR) method on cork powders wettability was investigated. An adapted sample preparation method was also developed to guarantee measurements accuracy and reproducibility. The processing of cork powders by 3D Printing (3DP) presents a clear challenge related to cork wettability. The common liquid binders used in 3DP printers are composed mainly by water (95% w/w). Two sets of cork powders with different particle size distributions (PSD) were prepared and studied, namely Full Range powder with a wider distribution (20-100 mu m) and Coarse powder with a narrow distribution (63-80 mu m). Among the studied wetting liquids, hexane revealed to be the wetting liquid with higher ability to completely wet cork powders in a short period of time (14-18 s). Coarse powder exhibited higher packing ability based on the calculated parameter C values. Contact angles between a commercial binder and Full Range and Coarse powders were estimated as 86.1 +/- 2.1(circle) and 87.3 +/- 1.5(circle), respectively. The obtained results showed that WCR method can successfully describe the wettability behaviour of cork powders. (c) 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
keywords
SURFACE-PROPERTIES; CONTACT-ANGLE
subject category
Engineering, Chemical
authors
da silva, SPM; Oliveira, JM
our authors
J. Martinho Oliveira
Coordinator Professor
Sara Patrícia Magalhães da Silva
Junior Researcheracknowledgements
This work was developed within the scope of the project CICECO-Aveiro Institute of Materials, UIDB/50011/2020 & UIDP/50011/2020, financed by national funds through the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology/MCTES. Authors would also want to acknowledge Tiago Silva for the availability and support for SEM analyses.