Influence of n-alkanes on wettability and zeta potential of quartz

Contact angles were measured in the following systems: quartz/water droplet/saturated vapor of water + n-alkane and quartz/water droplet/saturated vapor of n-alkane. The alkanes tested were from hexane to pentadecane. In both systems non-smooth changes of contact angle as a function of the chain length were observed. These changes are similar to the zeta-potential changes measured previously for two different samples of quartz in the quartz/n-alkana/water system. On the basis of the results and calculations it is suggested that the observed non-smooth changes of contact angle are due to similar changes in film pressures of the water and n-alkanes.