This project investigates how photothermal (plasmonic) nanoparticles redistribute and deposit during solar-driven liquid evaporation, and how the resulting deposition morphology governs optical absorption, internal Marangoni and capillary flows, and overall evaporation efficiency. Quantitative microPIV/PTV/LIF experiments map the flow dynamics of nanoparticle-laden droplets under solar radiation and the three-dimensional pattern formation of drying colloidal droplets. A finite-element computational framework is developed to capture plasmonic heating, thermocapillary flow, and the resulting deposition. Modified nanoparticles and Patterned Liquid-Like Surfaces are then engineered to suppress contact-line pinning and enable controlled deposition. Collaboration with the Yukina Takahashi laboratory at I²CNER provides photoelectrochemical-materials expertise.

This project investigates how photothermal (plasmonic) nanoparticles redistribute and deposit during solar-driven liquid evaporation, and how the resulting deposition morphology governs optical absorption, internal Marangoni and capillary flows, and overall evaporation efficiency. Quantitative microPIV/PTV/LIF experiments map the flow dynamics of nanoparticle-laden droplets under solar radiation and the three-dimensional pattern formation of drying colloidal droplets. A finite-element computational framework is developed to capture plasmonic heating, thermocapillary flow, and the resulting deposition. Modified nanoparticles and Patterned Liquid-Like Surfaces are then engineered to suppress contact-line pinning and enable controlled deposition. Collaboration with the Yukina Takahashi laboratory at I²CNER provides photoelectrochemical-materials expertise.