(309e) Stratification in Colloidal Films and Lessons from Soft Materials for Women in STEM

Multicomponent films based on colloidal dispersions have a wide range of applications, including antimicrobial coatings for medical instruments, conductive textiles for flexible electronics, anti-reflective coatings for optical devices, paints for humid environments that are resistant to mold growth, and drug-loaded coatings for medical implants. Often, there is a need to spatially control location of certain components in the film. In this talk, I will present our recent results from atomic force microscopy (AFM) and small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) on films prepared from binary colloidal dispersions containing large and small particles of varying size and initial volume fraction. Our results show evidence of different types of stratification behavior, including large-on-top (e.g., large particles migrating to the top surface of the film), small-on-top, and “sandwich”-like layering. Finally, in celebration of WIC’s 20^thanniversary, I will conclude the talk with some lessons I have learned from watching soft materials respond to stress and strain for the past 20 years, which I believe can also be applied to women in STEM who may be under stress and strain. Namely, I will briefly describe the importance of building strong networks and how letting things slide can sometimes lead to greater strength.