Bubble-Driven Flow Transitions in Evaporating Active Droplets on Structured Surfaces

TL;DR

This paper explores how catalytic bubble activity within evaporating active droplets on structured surfaces influences particle transport and final deposition patterns, revealing new ways to control material assembly.

Contribution

It introduces the combined effects of active bubble-driven flows and surface topography on droplet evaporation, a previously unexplored interaction.

Findings

Bubble activity modifies particle transport pathways.

Distinct final deposition morphologies are achieved.

Flow control enables directed particle assembly.

Abstract

The evaporation of particle-laden droplets on engineered surfaces underpins a wide range of technologies, from printed electronics to biosensing. While the influence of substrate topography on passive particle deposition is well established, the combined effects of active matter dynamics, catalytic gas generation, and surface structuring remain unexplored. Here, we investigate the drying of aqueous droplets containing Janus particles (polystyrene-platinum, PS-Pt) on topographically patterned substrates in the presence of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) fuel. The catalytic decomposition of H2O2 produces oxygen bubbles within the droplet, introducing strong, transient hydrodynamic perturbations that compete with evaporation driven capillary flows and contact line interactions. We show that bubble activity alters particle transport, leading to distinct and tunable final morphologies not achievable with passive suspensions. This study demonstrates how bubble-induced flow coupled with substrate topography determines deposition patterns during droplet evaporation. Our findings open a route to harnessing active matter and reaction driven flows for directed particle assembly.