Drying dissipative patterns of the colloidal crystals of silica spheres in an dc-electric field.

Drying dissipative structural patterns of the colloidal crystals of silica spheres were studied under an dc-electric field. Platinum plate electrodes of anode and cathode were set on a cover glass. The broad hills accumulated with the spheres were observed at the outer edges of the dried film without and also with the electric fields. The column-like structures were formed by the electric flux, and movement of the spheres took place toward anode. The dried film kept colloidal crystal structure, where the nearest-neighbored spheres contact each other more compactly in the areas closer to the anode. Drying times needed for the complete dryness of the suspensions decreased as the strength of the electric field increased. Addition of sodium chloride to the suspensions retarded the movement of spheres toward the anode substantially.