Theory 23/Solvation & interfaces/Wetting
Wetting Is Adhesion Against Cohesion
The claim
Whether a liquid wets a surface is set by the ratio of adhesive to cohesive forces, which is why surfactant addition changes wetting without changing the solid.
01Mechanism
Spreading requires the liquid to prefer the solid to itself.
02Prediction
Contact angle should track the ratio.
03Refutation
Angle tracking surface energy alone would remove cohesion.