Self-Assembly of Hierarchical Microstructures and Their Ring Patterns in Evaporating Droplets

Urchin-like and tree-shaped hierarchical microstructures were prepared within a solution droplet through drying-mediated self-assembly of organic molecules. The hierarchical architectures inside the droplet can orderly arrange into irregular ring patterns. The morphology evolvement of the hierarchical microstructures and the formation of the ring patterns were captured and studies with the assistance of optical microscopy. Their formation mechanisms were discussed on the basis of the results of time-dependent experiments. The amount of organic molecules in the solution had an obvious effect on the size and morphology of hierarchical microstructures and ring pattern formation. The optical properties of the hierarchical microstructures were investigated in detail and the formation of self-assembled structures resulted in significant changes in optical properties. The formation of the complex superstructures and generation of the ring patterns not only enriched synthesis science but also provided new blocks in future architectures of functional devices.