SURFACE TENSION

The property of liquids to form a cohesive force at their surface, which causes them to pull together as droplets as opposed to flowing-out freely. If the surface tension of a liquid is higher than the surface energy of a substrate, the liquid will tend to bead-up on the substrate. In litho printing, the surface energy of the substrate should be more than 35 dynes. Graphic Ink can test the dyne level of your substrate upon request. See also “reticulation”, “dyne”, and “corona treatment”.