Fast dynamics and relaxation of colloidal drops during the drying process using multispeckle diffusing wave spectroscopy

Characterizing the Microparticles Deposition Structure and its Photonic Nature in Surfactant-Laden Evaporating Colloidal Sessile Droplets

This work presents a simple method to create photonic microstructures via the natural evaporation of surfactant-laden colloidal sessile droplets on a flat substrate. In the absence of dissolved surfactant, the evaporating colloidal droplet forms a well-known coffee ring deposition. In contrast, the presence of surfactant leads to the formation of multiple ring structures due to the repetitive pinning-depinning behavior of the droplet contact line (CL). It is found that the multiring structure shows vibrant iridescent structural colors while the coffee ring lacks a photonic nature. This difference in the structural color for the presence and absence of the surfactant is found to be dependent on the arrangement of the particles in the deposition structure. The particle arrangement in the multirings is monolayered and well-ordered. The ordering of the particles is strongly influenced by the particle dynamics, contact angle (CA), and CL dynamics of the evaporating colloidal solution droplet. Furthermore, the iridescent nature of the multiring deposition is demonstrated and explained. The dependence of the multiring deposition structure on the concentration of the dissolved surfactant and the suspended particles is also studied. The findings demonstrate that an intermediate surfactant concentration is desirable for the formation of a multiring structure. Further, the pinning-depinning CL dynamics that causes the formation of the multiring deposition structure is discussed. Finally, we demonstrate the applicability of the approach to smaller droplet volumes.

Light-Scattering Analysis of Drying Behavior in Suspension Droplets with Silica and Polystyrene Particles and a Hydrosoluble Polymer

The coffee-ring structure, which is the final drying pattern of a sessile suspension droplet, is a key factor in controlling the uniformity of the particulate deposits in various coatings. Two light-scattering methods, diffusing wave spectroscopy (DWS) and multispeckle DWS (MSDWS), were used to quantitatively distinguish temporal changes in particle mobility in evaporating suspension droplets containing micrometer-sized silica and polystyrene (PS) particles. The characteristic particle mobility was measured in terms of the mean square displacement in the early stage of drying, and the local particle dynamics around the edge and center regimes of the droplets during drying were analyzed using MSDWS. Hydroxyethyl cellulose (HEC), a hydrosoluble polymer, was added to the silica and PS suspensions to further investigate its role in suppressing or enhancing coffee-ring patterns based on particle-polymer interactions. Consequently, dried microstructures can be directly correlated with real-time drying dynamics, as well as the interactions between solutes by comprehensive light-scattering methods.

Simultaneous Spatiotemporal Measurement of Structural Evolution in Dynamic Complex Media

When the properties of soft materials evolve in time, the simultaneous measurement of different characteristics is critical. Here, we demonstrate an experimental system that permits monitoring both the spatial and temporal evolution of the optical and mechanical properties. An integrated fiber-optic-based system allows determining the mechanical vibrations of structural elements over 5 orders of magnitude and over a broad frequency range. At the same time, the optical properties can be obtained within seconds from high-resolution measurements of the path-length distribution of reflected light. With proper cyclical scanning, the temporal evolution of the mesoscopic light scattering properties can be obtained in a depth-resolved manner. The performance of this integrated measurement is validated in the particular case of drying paint films. For these typical nonstationary media, we show how our approach provides unique access to the spatiotemporal material properties and how this information permits identifying the specific stages of structural evolution.

Effects of various durations of enzyme hydrolysis on properties of starch-based wood adhesive

Improving the performance of wood adhesive is important for the development of the veneer industry. This work investigated the effects of various durations of enzymatic hydrolysis to improve and enhance the properties of starch-based wood adhesive (SWA). The results showed that moderate enzymatic hydrolysis for 2 h of starch molecule could improve the properties of SWA. The bonding strength of SWA was increased from 2.72 MPa (0 h) to 6.87 MPa (2 h) in the dry state and from 0.87 MPa (0 h) to 2.69 MPa (2 h) in the wet state. A significant decrease in the viscosity of SWA was also observed after 2 h hydrolysis of starch molecules, which allowed smooth spreading and penetration of adhesive through the wood surface. Meanwhile, the dynamic mechanical analysis and scanning electron microscopy showed that SWA with 2 h enzymatic hydrolysis exhibited better elastic deformation and smooth surfaces compared with SWA with un-hydrolysis starch. This study provides important information regarding the possible applications of SWA in the wood industry and presents a potential alternative to less environmentally friendly formaldehyde-based wood adhesives.

Effect of Immiscible Secondary Fluid on Particle Dynamics and Coffee Ring Characteristics during Suspension Drying

Particle motion and coffee ring patterns in water-borne suspensions of polystyrene (PS) particle added with small amounts of secondary hydrophobic decalin are investigated during the drying of the suspension droplets, mainly employing light scattering methods. Very tiny secondary fluid insertions via high-speed agitation effectively link the particles through hydrophobic dissolution leading to the formation of multimodal particulate clusters, with resistance to the outward capillary flow and suppression of coffee ring formation after drying. The impact of decalin on particles is corroborated by actual images acquired from an optical profiler and a scanning electron microscope (SEM). The average particle motion inside the suspension changed by decalin was expressed in terms of mean square displacement (MSD) based on diffusing wave spectroscopy (DWS). Employing multispeckle diffusing wave spectroscopy (MSDWS), the rapid motion or β-relaxation of particles in various suspensions with and without decalin is quantified in early lag time during the drying of droplets. The change in particle dynamics during suspension drop drying, when adding a small secondary fluid, plays a key role in tuning coffee ring patterns.

Reference-free path length interferometry of random media with the intensity moments analysis

Stochastic interference of partially coherent light multiple scattered by a random medium is considered. The relationship between the second- and third-order moments of intensity fluctuations in random interference patterns, the coherence function of probe radiation, and the probability density of path differences for the interfering partial waves in the medium are established. The obtained relationships were verified using the statistical analysis of spectrally selected fluorescence radiation emitted by the laser-pumped dye-doped random medium. Rhodamine 6G water solution was applied as the doping agent for the ensembles of densely packed silica grains which were pumped by the CW radiation (532 nm) from the diode-pumped solid state laser. Experimentally observed abrupt decay of the second- and third-order moments of fluorescence intensity fluctuations for the wavelengths ranging from 620 nm to 680 nm is interpreted in terms of amplification of spontaneous emission at large dye concentrations. This paper discusses the new optical probe of random media defined as "the reference-free path length interferometry with the intensity moments analysis".

Quantitative imaging of heterogeneous dynamics in drying and aging paints

Drying and aging paint dispersions display a wealth of complex phenomena that make their study fascinating yet challenging. To meet the growing demand for sustainable, high-quality paints, it is essential to unravel the microscopic mechanisms underlying these phenomena. Visualising the governing dynamics is, however, intrinsically difficult because the dynamics are typically heterogeneous and span a wide range of time scales. Moreover, the high turbidity of paints precludes conventional imaging techniques from reaching deep inside the paint. To address these challenges, we apply a scattering technique, Laser Speckle Imaging, as a versatile and quantitative tool to elucidate the internal dynamics, with microscopic resolution and spanning seven decades of time. We present a toolbox of data analysis and image processing methods that allows a tailored investigation of virtually any turbid dispersion, regardless of the geometry and substrate. Using these tools we watch a variety of paints dry and age with unprecedented detail.