10. Surface tension - Essential for water striders but problematic in many applications

Why is surface tension so important in nature, and even a requirement for life? And why are so many industries struggling to overcome its effects? 

In this episode of Season 2 of Science on surfaces we talk to Dr. Susanna Lauren at Biolin Scientific about Surface Tension. Susanna did her Ph.D. on microfluidics and superhydrophobic surfaces and is an expert on surface-related phenomena, such as adhesion, wettability, surface free energy, and – most importantly - surface tension, the topic of today’s conversation. 

Susanna explains why the surface of water behaves like an elastic sheet and how this phenomenon impacts several aspects of the world around us, from the ecosystems to laundry soil removal, and many other aspects of our lives. We also talk about how the surface tension can be measured, and what challenges could be involved in such an analysis.

Thanks for listening! If you are interested in surface and interface science and related topics, you should check out our blog -  the Surface Science blog