8th Liquid Matter Conference September 6-10, 2011 Wien, Austria ...

Wed 711:10-14:00P5.67Field induced clustering of diluted colloids at the threephase contact lineWenceslao González-Viñas, 1 Moorthi Pichumani, 1 and Maximiliano Giuliani 11 University of Navarra, Dept. Physics and Appl. Math. , c/Irunlarrea s/n E-31080,Pamplona, SpainMultiple scale structured materials can be built efficiently by means of colloidal particles. Wereport experimental evidence on the formation of a colloidal cluster array at the three-phase contactline. The colloidal dispersion is opened to air and the formation of the cluster array is triggeredby weak (and low frequency) alternating electric fields. We focus on the influence of the appliedfield on the characteristic times and lengths, which are important in the cluster formation and theirevolution. The clusters are separated by a well-defined length and, in our experimental conditions,they survive between five and fifteen minutes. The mechanisms of formation are also discussed,which will help to construct a model for the long and short range particle interactions in diluteaqueous colloidal systems. These new results give important clues about how it is possible todeposit tailored colloidal structures on non-patterned substrates.[1] M. Pichumani, M. Giuliani and W. González-Viñas. “1-D cluster array at the three phasecontact line in diluted colloids subjected to A. C. electric fields. ” Phys. Rev. E. 83(4), 047301[2011]67