Reverse coffee-ring effect

When a coffee drop dries on a solid surface, it commonly leaves a ring-like deposit along the edge, known as the coffee-ring effect. We present a reverse motion of particles in drying droplets, opposite to the coffee-ring effect. We reveal that the particle motion, initially toward the edge by the typical coffee-ring effect, is reversed to the droplet center owing to the capillary interaction generated by the droplet surface. The reverse coffee-ring effect always occurs whenever the capillary interaction prevails over the net outward force by the coffee- ring effect. The interaction predicts an inverse power-law time growth of moving distance from the edge, depending mostly on particle size and contact angle. The reverse coffee-ring effect may contribute to multiple ring formation by sweeping particles toward the center. We prove the mechanism with real-time optical, confocal, and X-ray microscopic observations of colloidal fluids.