Drying of sessile droplets of binary colloidal aqueous mixtures of carbon nanotubes and platelets of Laponite®

Drying of sessile droplets of binary colloidal aqueous mixtures of carbon nanotubes (CNT) and platelets of Laponite (R) (Lap) has been studied. The concentration of CNT was fixed at C-CNT= 0.01% wt., and the relative concentration of Lap and CNT, was varied within x = C-Lap/C-CNT= 0-2. Formation of the three different zones related to formation of the almost transparent round enlightenment in the center, outer gray ring, and thin coffer ring at the external boundary was detected. Observed effects were explained accounting for the effects of Lap on the facilitation of dispersion of CNT in aqueous systems.

Automated summary

The drying process of sessile droplets of binary colloidal mixtures of carbon nanotubes and Laponite has been studied. Different zones, including a transparent center, a gray outer ring, and a thin outer boundary ring, were observed. The effects were explained by considering the influence of Laponite on the dispersion of carbon nanotubes in aqueous systems.