Attension® Theta Optical Tensiometers
Attension® Theta Flow Tensiometer
The Attension® Theta Flow is a premium instrument for measuring contact angle, surface tension, surface free energy, dynamic contact angle, and more. With a focus on practical, everyday usage, Theta Flow adds a collection of features that automate or sense key instrument settings, thereby improving data quality and repeatability with minimal user effort.
Workflow Automation
Pre-program experiments with automated droplet placement to reduce user bias and leverage automatic data analysis for increased experimental throughput
Ultimate Accuracy/Traceability
Class-leading
Camera
Advanced User Interface
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Premium Automated Contact Angle Meter
The Theta Flow was designed with meticulous attention to detail and delivers a user-friendly experience while maintaining accuracy across experiments. Theta Flow’s design includes integrated sensors for commonly overlooked factors such as camera tilt angle, system levelness, temperature, and relative humidity which can all affect experimental reproducibility.
supported measurements
Sessile Drop / Static Contact Angle
Places a drop of liquid and captures images of the droplet sitting stationary on the surface
Applications:
Industrial cleaning assessments, printing, petroleum, medical devices
Sessile Drop: Batch Mode
Carries out static contact angle measurements at various locations on the same sample
Applications:
Surface cleanliness, paint adhesion, coatings, other surface properties
Dynamic Contact Angle with Needle-in Droplet
Measures advancing and receding contact angles as a droplet grows and shrinks on the surface
Applications:
Hydrophobic coatings, self-cleaning surfaces, surface heterogeneity characterization
Dynamic Contact Angle with Tilting
Assesses the advancing and receding angles and the resulting hysteresis using a tilting stage or tilting cradle
Applications:
Hydrophobic coatings, self-cleaning surfaces, surface heterogeneity characterization
Pendant Drop / Interfacial Tension
Measures the force between two immiscible liquids to evaluate how easily they mix or separate
Applications:
Enhanced oil recovery, pharmaceuticals, emulsions, surfactants
Meniscus Method / Surface Tension
Measures the cohesive force at a liquid’s surface to evaluate spreading, wetting, and formulation behavior
Applications:
Detergents, agrochemicals, paints, food science, pharmaceuticals
Pulsating Drop / Interfacial Viscoelasticity
Measures how interfacial layers respond to deformation by oscillating the droplet area to evaluate viscoelastic properties
Applications:
Emulsion stability, foam stability, surfactant performance, pharmaceutical formulations
Roughness Corrected Contact Angle
Isolates texture effects to show true wettability without being skewed by surface topography
Applications:
Medical device biocompatibility, printing on surfaces, packaging, 3D printing
Surface Free Energy
Evaluates how easily liquids spread or stick to a solid surface by measuring surface wettability
Applications:
Surface cleanliness, powder processing, adhesives, paints,
Attension® Theta Flow Tensiometer
Product Features
User-Friendly Software
The Theta Flow runs on OneAttension, the intuitive software used across the full Attension line. Clear workflows guide users through setup, measurement, analysis, and reporting with minimal training required. Live imaging, adjustable parameters, user profiles, and recipe creation simplify the process while maintaining high accuracy. Results can be reviewed in real time or exported for further analysis, making the software practical for both routine tasks and in-depth studies.
Class-Leading Camera
The Theta Flow’s USB 3.0 camera captures ultra-high-resolution 5 MP images at over 3000 fps, freezing even the fastest wetting dynamics in stunning detail. Advanced DropletPlus image-enhancement algorithms, paired with a broad monochromatic LED backlight, accentuate the droplet baseline for rock-solid contact-angle detection on rough or superhydrophobic surfaces. Smart autofocus modes in OneAttension software maintain crisp focus throughout every measurement, reducing manual adjustments and enhancing measurement consistency.
Automated Workflows
Modular & Upgradeable
The Theta Flow accepts the same plug-and-play modules and accessories as the other Theta models, plus Flow-exclusive items like motorized dispenser holders, and XYZ mapping stages. Quick-swap holders and tool-free connectors simplify customization for contact-angle mapping, high-pressure testing, environmental control chambers, and more, so you can adapt the system on the fly as needs evolve. OneAttension software automatically recognizes every connected module at startup and configures data capture and analysis recipes with zero downtime.
Integrated Environmental Control
Application Support & Local Service
Attension® Theta Flow Tensiometer
Product Accessories
Roughness-Correction Module
The unique 3D Topography module takes wettability and adhesion analysis to a completely new level by measuring both contact angle and surface roughness of the sample in a single measurement.
High Pressure Chamber
The High Pressure Chamber is designed for wettability research within enhanced oil recovery and enables measurements at pressures up to 400 bar and temperatures up to 200°C.
Tilting Cradle
A software controlled tilting cradle. Used for studying dynamic contact angles. Tilting range from 0 to 90° and tilting resolution 0.1°.
Interfacial Rheology Module
Software controlled drop size pulsing for interfacial rheology measurement of viscoelastic properties of interfacial layers at liquid-air or liquid-liquid interfaces.
Picoliter Dispenser
Utilize automated picoliter-scale drop formation. Especially useful for inkjet applications and for measuring contact angle on very small sample areas.
Silicon Wafer Stage
Seamlessly map and traverse the entire surface area of up to 12” diameter silicon wafers to measure contact angle with repeatable precision.
Attension® Theta Flow Tensiometer
Product Knowledgebase
Webinar
Interfacial dilatational rheology is a useful tool to investigate the properties of liquid…
Blog
Evaluating Medical Device Coatings with Picoliter Droplets
Coatings for invasive medical devices are critical in ensuring their safety, performance,…
White Paper
Surface and interfacial tensions of liquids significantly affect their wetting behavior an…