Surface Tension Components and Molecular Weight of Selected Liquids (sort by liquid name descending)

This table is provided as an information service by Diversified Enterprises.

This table shows the dispersion (non-polar) and polar components, as well as an acid—base breakout, of surface tension for a variety of solvents and other liquids which are commonly used in the analysis of solid state surface energy. A similar table, which includes enthalpy of vaporization, Hansen Solubility Parameters, total surface tension, and molar volume, can be seen here.

A third table features Hansen Solubility Parameters, surface energy, and critical surface tension data for a broad variety of polymers. It can be seen here.

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Surface Tension Components and Molecular Weight of Selected Liquids

Name⁽¹⁾	Mol. Formula⁽²⁾	CAS #⁽²⁾	Mol. Wt.⁽³⁾	Surface Tension⁽⁴⁾
Name⁽¹⁾	Mol. Formula⁽²⁾	CAS #⁽²⁾	Mol. Wt.⁽³⁾	Total	Dispersion	Polar	Acid	Base
o-Xylene	C₈H₁₀	95-47-6	106.17	30.1	30.1	0.0	0.0	0.58
Water	H₂O	7732-18-5	18.02	72.8⁽⁶⁾	22.1⁽⁶⁾	50.7⁽⁶⁾	25.5	25.5
Water	H₂O	7732-18-5	18.02	72.8⁽⁵⁾	22.6⁽⁵⁾	50.2⁽⁵⁾	25.5	25.5
Water	H₂O	7732-18-5	18.02	72.8	21.8	51.0	25.5	25.5
Tricresyl phosphate	C₂₁H₂₁O₄P	1330-78-5⁽⁹⁾	368.36	40.9⁽¹²⁾	39.2⁽¹²⁾	1.7⁽¹²⁾	-	-
Tricresyl phosphate	C₂₁H₂₁O₄P	1330-78-5⁽⁹⁾	368.36	40.9⁽⁸⁾	39.7⁽⁸⁾	1.2⁽⁸⁾	-	-
Tricresyl phosphate	C₂₁H₂₁O₄P	1330-78-5⁽⁹⁾	368.36	40.9⁽⁵⁾	39.8⁽⁵⁾	1.1⁽⁵⁾	-	-
Trichloromethane (chloroform)	CHCl₃	67-66-3	119.38	27.2	27.2	0.0	1.5	0.0
Toluene	C₇H₈	108-88-3	92.13	28.5	28.5	0.0	0.0	0.72
Tetrahydrofuran	C₄H₈O	109-99-9	72.11	27.4	27.4	-	-	15.0⁽¹¹⁾
Methanol (methyl alcohol)	CH₄O	67-56-1	32.04	22.5	18.2	4.3	0.06⁽¹⁰⁾	77⁽¹⁰⁾
Hexadecane	C₁₆H₃₄	544-76-3	226.44	27.5	27.5	0.0	0.0	0.0
n-Heptane	C₇H₁₆	142-82-5	100.20	20.1	20.1	0.0	0.0	0.0
Glycerol	C₃H₈O₃	56-81-5	92.09	63.4⁽⁷⁾	37.0⁽⁷⁾	26.4⁽⁷⁾	3.92	57.4
Glycerol	C₃H₈O₃	56-81-5	92.09	63.4⁽⁵⁾	40.6⁽⁵⁾	22.8⁽⁵⁾	3.92	57.4
Glycerol	C₃H₈O₃	56-81-5	92.09	64	34	30	3.92	57.4
Formamide (methanamide)	CH₃NO	75-12-7	45.04	58.2⁽¹²⁾	39.5⁽¹²⁾	18.7⁽¹²⁾	2.28	39.6
Formamide (methanamide)	CH₃NO	75-12-7	45.04	57.9⁽⁷⁾	34.3⁽⁷⁾	23.5⁽⁷⁾	2.28	39.6
Formamide (methanamide)	CH₃NO	75-12-7	45.04	58.2⁽⁵⁾	36.0⁽⁵⁾	22.2⁽⁵⁾	2.28	39.6
Formamide (methanamide)	CH₃NO	75-12-7	45.04	58	39	19	2.28	39.6
Ethylene glycol	C₂H₆O₂	107-21-1	62.07	48.8⁽⁷⁾	32.8⁽⁷⁾	16.0⁽⁷⁾	3.0	30.1
Ethylene glycol	C₂H₆O₂	107-21-1	62.07	48	29	19	3.0	30.1
Ethyl acetate (ethyl ethanoate)	C₄H₈O₂	141-78-6	88.11	23.9	23.9	0.0	0.0	6.2
2-Ethoxyethanol (ethylene glycol monoethyl ether)	C₄H₁₀O₂	110-80-5	90.12	28.6⁽¹³⁾	23.6⁽¹³⁾	5.0⁽¹³⁾	-	-
Ethanol (ethyl alcohol)	C₂H₆O	64-17-5	46.07	21.4	18.8	2.6	0.02⁽¹⁰⁾	68⁽¹⁰⁾
Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO)	C₂H₆OS	67-68-5	78.13	44	36	8	0.5	32
Diiodomethane (methylene iodide)	CH₂I₂	75-11-6	267.84	50.8⁽¹²⁾	48.5⁽¹²⁾	2.3⁽¹²⁾	0.01	0.0
Diiodomethane (methylene iodide)	CH₂I₂	75-11-6	267.84	50.8⁽⁶⁾	44.1⁽⁶⁾	6.7⁽⁶⁾	0.01	0.0
Diiodomethane (methylene iodide)	CH₂I₂	75-11-6	267.84	50.8⁽⁵⁾	49.0⁽⁵⁾	1.8⁽⁵⁾	0.01	0.0
Diiodomethane (methylene iodide)	CH₂I₂	75-11-6	267.84	50.8	50.8	0.0	0.01	0.0
Diethyl ether (ethoxyethane)	C₄H₁₀O	60-29-7	74.12	17.0	17.0	0.0	-	-
Decane	C₁₀H₂₂	124-18-5	142.28	23.8	23.8	0.0	-	-
cis-Decahydrohaphthalene (cis-decalin)	C₁₀H₁₈	493-01-6	138.25	32.2	32.2	0.0	0.0	0.0
Cyclohexane	C₆H₁₂	110-82-7	84.16	25.2	25.2	0.0	0.0	0.0
2-Butanone (methyl ethyl ketone)	C₄H₈O	78-93-3	72.11	24.6	24.6	-	-	24⁽¹¹⁾
1-Bromonaphthalene	C₁₀H₇Br	90-11-9	207.07	44.4	44.4	0.0	-	-
Benzene	C₆H₆	71-43-2	78.11	28.9	28.9	0.0	0.0	0.96

⁽¹⁾ Choice of nomenclature is one of the most difficult tasks in assembling any table of chemical data, especially one containing a variety of hydrocarbons that have become widely known by non-scientific names. We have generally used IUPAC (International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry) nomenclature as the primary name; synonyms in common use are also included — sometimes these are shown as the primary name, depending on common usage. In a very few cases, the IUPAC designation is quite technical, and not widely used in industry, and so has been left out of this table entirely. It is always best to reference CAS (Chemical Abstracts Service) numbers to make sure the correct material is being evaluated.

⁽²⁾ Thermophysical Properties of Chemicals and Hydrocarbons, Carl L. Yaw, William Andrew, Norwich, NY, 2008, except as noted.

⁽³⁾ CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics, 85th Edition, David R. Lide, ed., CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL, 2004, except as noted.

⁽⁴⁾ mJ/m² (equivalent to dynes/cm) @ 20^oC (293.15 K): Interfacial Forces in Aqueous Media, 2nd Edition, Carel J. van Oss, CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL, 2006, except as noted. Details on the polar/dispersion and acid/base components are available from the original data sources.

⁽⁵⁾ @ 20^oC: Polymer Interface and Adhesion, Souheng Wu, Marcel Dekker, New York, NY, 1982, p. 151; harmonic mean, derived from contact angle data.

⁽⁶⁾ @ 20^oC: Polymer Interface and Adhesion, Souheng Wu, Marcel Dekker, New York, NY, 1982, p. 151; harmonic mean, derived from interfacial tension data.

⁽⁷⁾ no temperature cited: A.F. Toussaint and P. Luner, in Contact Angle, Wettability and Adhesion, K.L. Mittal, editor, VSP, Utrecht, The Netherlands, 1993, p. 385.

⁽⁸⁾ @ 20^oC: Polymer Interface and Adhesion, Souheng Wu, Marcel Dekker, New York, NY, 1982, p. 153; derived from contact angle data on poly(methyl methacrylate).

⁽⁹⁾ www.wikipedia.org/wiki.

⁽¹⁰⁾ Values estimated from total polarity and solubility in water, Interfacial Forces in Aqueous Media, 2nd Edition, Carel J. van Oss, CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL, 2006, p. 216.

⁽¹¹⁾ Estimated value from known minimum and maximum possible actual value, Interfacial Forces in Aqueous Media, 2nd Edition, Carel J. van Oss, CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL, 2006, p. 277.

⁽¹²⁾ @ 20^oC: J.R. Dann, J. Adhsn. Sci. Tech., 21, 961 (2007).

⁽¹³⁾ @ 25^oC: J.R. Dann, J. Coll. Interface Sci, 32, 961 (1970).