Coating, Drying, and Microstructuring of Suspensions

Abstract

Coating is generally defined as a process to replace air on a solid substrate by a liquid. However, recent development in coating technologies have shed light on self-organization and micro- structuring in evaporating complex thin fluids. In this article, some examples on structure formation in coating/drying processes are introduced, which include (i) particle-induced stabilization of a air film intruding between a moving solid and a liquid, (ii) drying induced segregation of particles and other components, and (iii) flow-induced surface roughening at air-liquid interface. The effect of operating parameters on the dynamic behavior at interfaces and in bulk liquid is also emphasized.