ASTM D5946-17 (identical to ISO 15989)

Standard test method for corona-treated polymer films using water contact angle measurements

The ability of polymer films to retain inks, coatings, adhesives, etc. is primarily dependent on the character of their surfaces and can be improved by one of several surface-treating techniques. The electrical discharge treatment, such as corona treatment, has been found to increase the wetting tension of a polymer film. The stronger the treatment, the more actively the surface reacts with different polar interfaces. It is therefore possible to relate the contact angle of a polymer film surface to its ability to accept and retain inks, coatings, adhesives with the respective polar functionalities. Contact angle in itself is not a completely acceptable measure of adhesion. This test method covers measurement of the contact angle of water droplets on corona-treated polymer film surfaces.