Table 1. Physical properties of GO dispersion.

Concentration (mg ml−1)	Volume fraction	Surface tension (mN m−1)	Contact angle (°)	Zero-shear viscosity (at 10−3 s−1) (Pa s)	Apparent viscosity (at 104 s−1) (Pa s)	Dewetting time (s)	Drying time (s)
0.1	0.005	71.9	81	0.00128	0.0016	0.012	40
5	0.27	68	70	0.0094	0.002	0.151	40
10	0.55	66	67	0.8	0.0041	15	40
40	2.22	49	49	66	0.0164	4313	40

Physical properties of a typical isotropic (0.1 mg ml⁻¹), onset of bi-phasic (5 mg ml⁻¹), bi-phasic (10 mg ml⁻¹) and fully nematic (40 mg ml⁻¹) colloidal dispersions of graphene oxide (GO) demonstrating a decrease in surface tension and contact angle which promotes wetting of the fluid on the porous substrate and an increase in dewetting time compared with drying time.