Homogeneous and heterogeneous binary colloidal clusters formed by evaporation-induced self-assembly inside droplets.
In this paper, we report the preparation of binary clusters of colloidal particles with different sizes or species into complex structures using oil-in-water emulsion droplets as confining geometries. First, polystyrene or silica particles with bimodal size distribution were packed densely by evaporation-induced self-assembly inside oil-in-water emulsion droplets. The configurations of larger particles inside the droplets minimize the second moment of the particle locations for the ratio of large to small particle sizes less than 3. Also, the configurations of bimodal clusters were predicted by using a surface evolver simulation, and the simulation predictions were compared with the experimental results. In addition, heterogeneous colloidal clusters were produced by emulsifying the binary mixture suspension of polystyrene and silica particles in aqueous medium followed by evaporating the oil phase. A density gradient centrifugation was applied to fractionate the asymmetric binary dimers comprised of PS and silica microspheres.
Cho
Young-Sang
YS
National Creative Research Initiative Center for Integrated Optofluidic Systems and Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon 305-701, Republic of Korea.
Yi
Gi-Ra
GR
Kim
Shin-Hyun
SH
Elsesser
Mark T
MT
Breed
Dana R
DR
Yang
Seung-Man
SM
D004655:Emulsions / Q000737:chemistry*; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry*; D009821:Oils / Q000737:chemistry; D010316:Particle Size; D011137:Polystyrenes / Q000737:chemistry*; D012822:Silicon Dioxide / Q000737:chemistry*; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry
D004655:Emulsions; D009821:Oils; D011137:Polystyrenes; D014867:Water; D012822:Silicon Dioxide