title: Pattern formation in drying droplets of polyelectrolyte and salt.
abstract: We have discovered spectacular patterns formed by drying aqueous drops of sodium poly(styrene sulfonate) containing fixed amounts of sodium chloride. Crystallization of salt molecules takes place at a critical concentration and several factors such as the polyelectrolyte concentration and humidity affect the final patterns formed. The observed patterns include concentric rings, needle-like structures, chains of triangular-shaped crystallites, etc. We describe the observed phenomenology accompanied by a theoretical model for the occurrence of concentric rings.
authors.affiliation: Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003, USA.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kaya
authors.forename: V A
authors.initials: VA
authors.lastname: Belyi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Muthukumar