Surface wettability of aluminum foil after high temperature annealing.

The effect of high temperature annealing on changes in the roughness and the surface wettability of aluminum foil was studied. Long-term annealing in a muffle furnace led to a decrease in the average roughness (Ra) and root-mean-square roughness (Rq) of the foil surface. Annealing the foil led to a change in the droplet diameter by a factor of 6.0–6.2 and a decrease in the contact angle by a factor of 175. Further changes in diameter and contact angle are associated with the adsorption of hydrocarbon impurities adsorbed onto the surface of the foil from the ambient air. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]