Eur. Phys. J. E (2010) 31: 393-402
https://doi.org/10.1140/epje/i2010-10598-x

Regular Article

Buckling-driven morphological transformation of droplets of a mixed colloidal suspension during evaporation-induced self-assembly by spray drying

¹ Solid State Physics Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, 400085, Mumbai, India
² Nuclear Agriculture and Biotechnology Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, 400085, Mumbai, India
³ Technical Physics and Prototype Engineering Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, 400085, Mumbai, India
⁴ UGC-DAE Consortium for Scientific Research, 400085, Mumbai, India
⁵ Radio Chemistry Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, 400085, Mumbai, India

^* e-mail: debasis@barc.gov.in

Received: 11 January 2010
Accepted: 23 March 2010
Published online: 27 April 2010

Abstract

Morphological transformation during evaporation-induced self-assembly of a mixed colloidal suspension in micrometric droplets has been investigated. It has been demonstrated that a buckling-driven shape transition of drying droplets of mixed colloidal suspension takes place during evaporation-induced self-assembly. Further, it is also shown that the distortion modulations get significantly amplified with enhancement in volume fraction of anisotropic soft colloidal component of the mixed colloids. It has been argued that the reduction in elastic modulus of formed shell, at the boundary of a drying droplet, and the anisotropic nature of one of the colloidal components facilitate the deformation process. Hierarchical structures of these assembled colloidal grains have been probed using electron microscopy and scattering techniques.