Probing droplets with biological colloidal suspensions on smart surfaces by synchrotron radiation micro- and nano-beams

•Surfaces with superhydrophobic and superhydrophilic properties are described.•Peptide solution droplets are deposited on surfaces with defined wetting properties.•Cross β-sheet formation is probed by X-ray diffraction and FTIR spectroscopy.•Raster-scan imaging is performed by synchrotron radiation micro- and nanobeams.

Droplets with colloidal biological suspensions evaporating on substrates with defined wetting properties generate confined environments for initiating aggregation and self-assembly processes. We describe smart micro- and nanostructured surfaces, optimized for probing single droplets and residues by synchrotron radiation micro- and nanobeam diffraction techniques. Applications are presented for Ac-IVD and β-amyloid (1–42) peptides capable of forming cross-β sheet structures. Complementary synchrotron radiation FTIR microspectroscopy addresses secondary structure formation. The high synchrotron radiation source brilliance enables fast raster-scan experiments.