It has been shown over the last few years how the wetting (or dewetting) of a soft, elastomeric substrate can be markedly affected by local deformation of the solid near the triple line, due to the component of liquid surface tension acting perpendicularly to the (undeformed) solid surface, i.e. the "wetting ridge". Since the degree of cross-linking of an elastomer affects its mechanical properties, we have undertaken a study of the influence of cross-linking on (de) Wetting behaviour. Using a silicone rubber in four states of cross-linking, we have observed that triple-line motion of tricresyl phosphate increases in speed with degree of cross-linking. Two principle factors influence this behaviour, both being directly linked to average intercross-link molecular weight, Mc.
