Role of the Meniscus Shape in Large-Area Convective Particle Assembly

Dense and uniform particle films are deposited using a robust version of the convective particle assembly process. We analyze how the shape of the gas–liquid interface and the three-phase contact line govern the stability of convective deposition and, thus, the achievable quality of films. Interfere...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Langmuir 2011-07, Vol.27 (14), p.8621-8633
Main Authors: Born, Philip, Blum, Susanne, Munoz, Andres, Kraus, Tobias
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Chemistry
Colloids: Surfactants and Self-Assembly, Dispersions, Emulsions, Foams
Exact sciences and technology
General and physical chemistry
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Dense and uniform particle films are deposited using a robust version of the convective particle assembly process. We analyze how the shape of the gas–liquid interface and the three-phase contact line govern the stability of convective deposition and, thus, the achievable quality of films. Interference microscopy indicates that a highly curved meniscus cannot compensate for the ubiquitous perturbation during deposition. A moderately curved meniscus provides flexibility to compensate and localize perturbation and enables reliable homogeneous deposition. We analyze which setup geometry and meniscus velocity yield appropriate meniscus shapes. The quality of the resulting films is analyzed and compared to the deposition conditions. Uniform films over areas beyond the centimeter range are accessible using the optimized process, which is suitable for functional particle coatings and templates for microstructured materials.
ISSN:0743-7463
1520-5827
DOI:10.1021/la2006138