Deposition and Drying Dynamics of Liquid Crystal Droplets

Overview

Journal Nat Commun

Specialty Biology

Date 2017 May 31

PMID 28555621

Citations 14

Authors

Zoey S Davidson

Yongyang Huang

Adam Gross

Angel Martinez

Tim Still

Chao Zhou

Peter J Collings

Randall D Kamien

A G Yodh

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Drop drying and deposition phenomena reveal a rich interplay of fundamental science and engineering, give rise to fascinating everyday effects (coffee rings), and influence technologies ranging from printing to genotyping. Here we investigate evaporation dynamics, morphology, and deposition patterns of drying lyotropic chromonic liquid crystal droplets. These drops differ from typical evaporating colloidal drops primarily due to their concentration-dependent isotropic, nematic, and columnar phases. Phase separation occurs during evaporation, and in the process creates surface tension gradients and significant density and viscosity variation within the droplet. As a result, the drying multiphase drops exhibit different convective currents, drop morphologies, and deposition patterns (coffee-rings).

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