Chemical Engineering Study Project 4 (U04634)

Patterns from dried drops as a characterisation and

diagnosis technique
Aiman Arif (s1654640)a
a
School of Engineering, University of Edinburgh EH9 3JL, United Kingdom

ABSTRACT

When particulate-laden droplets evaporate, they leave behind complex patterns on the
substrate depending on their composition and the dynamics of their evaporation. Over the
past two decades there has been an increased interest in these patterns due to their
numerous applications in biomedicine, forensics, food quality analysis and inkjet printing.
The objective of this review is to investigate the use of patterns from dried drops as a
characterisation and diagnosis technique. First, the fundamentals of drying within
evaporating drops are introduced. Focus is put on the patterns left behind by dried drops
of various complex fluids. Then, the potential applications of these patterns are presented.
It concludes with a discussion on the limitations that must be overcome and prospective
works that must be carried out to allow for widespread implementation of this technique.