Particle-scale modeling of the drying characteristics of colloidal suspensions

Abstract: During drying of colloidal suspensions, colloidal particles can form concentrated particle layers beneath the receding free surface. The drying rate can gradually decrease with the growth of the particle layers. We construct a model to investigate how such drying characteristics is affected by interactions between particles. In this model, the formation of the particle layers is described by Langevin dynamics simulations, and the drying rate is evaluated from the permeation resistance of the particle layers. We show that the decrease in the drying rate is suppressed when the particles form aggregates by attractive interactions. The present model would enable us to predict and control the drying characteristics through the character of colloidal particles.