title: Understanding the Formation of Anisometric Supraparticles: A Mechanistic Look Inside Droplets Drying on a Superhydrophobic Surface.
abstract: Evaporating drops of nanoparticle suspensions on superhydrophobic surfaces can give anisotropic superaparticles. Previous studies implied the formation of a stiff shell that collapses, but the exact mechanism leading to anisotropy was unclear so far. Here we report on a new experiment using confocal laser scanning microscopy for a detailed characterization of particle formation from droplets of aqueous colloidal dispersions on superhydrophobic surfaces. In a customized setup, we investigated droplets of fumed silica suspensions using two different fluorescent dyes for independently marking silica and the water phase. Taking advantage of interfacial reflection, we locate the drop-air interface and extract normalized time-resolved intensity profiles for dyed silica throughout the drying process. Using comprehensive image analysis we observe and quantify shell-like interfacial particle accumulation arising from droplet evaporation. This leads to a buildup of a stiff fumed silica mantle of ∼20 μm thickness that causes deformation of the droplet throughout further shrinkage, consequently leading to the formation of solid anisometric fumed silica particles.
authors.affiliation: Technische Universität Berlin (TU Berlin) , Institut für Chemie - Stranski Laboratorium für Physikalische und Theoretische Chemie, Straße des 17. Juni 124, D-10623 Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Marcel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sperling
authors.affiliation: University of Ioannina , Department of Physics, P.O. Box 1186, GR-45110 Ioannina, Greece.
authors.forename: Periklis
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Papadopoulos
authors.affiliation: Technische Universität Berlin (TU Berlin) , Institut für Chemie - Stranski Laboratorium für Physikalische und Theoretische Chemie, Straße des 17. Juni 124, D-10623 Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gradzielski