Despite the need for uniform particle coatings, the omnipresent nature of #coffee_ring formation creates challenges for many applications. Suppression of coffee-ring for sensitive applications is challenging as it requires a non-invasive and reliable methodology to deposit highly ordered mono-/multi layer particles. In nanobiosensing, for instance, it is imperative to form an extremely uniform and controllable particle coating morphology to meet the high sensitivity and reproducibility required for sensors at various scales. 

We have found a promising solution inspired by nature to this challenge in our recent work published in #NatureCommunications (Featured by the editorial board). This work offers the first experimental and theoretical report on coffee-ring suppression using a passive and non-intrusive method called Meniscus-Free and Coffee-ring-Free, applicable from micro to macro scales coatings. 

The proposed method revolutionizes coating and patterning approaches for those applications that desire a highly uniform and controllable deposition of particles. Given that the particle movement is highly controlled in the proposed approach, the self-assembly of highly ordered microparticles leads to the formation of monolayer coatings and continuously variable size filters with the desired pattern.