Explosive, oscillatory, and Leidenfrost boiling at the nanoscale

Area of Science:

• Nanoscale heat transfer
• Phase transitions
• Plasmonics

Background:

• Classical boiling theory describes macroscopic phenomena.
• Nanoscale boiling around nanoparticles presents unique challenges and behaviors.
• Understanding these regimes is crucial for applications in nanofluidics and thermal management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate and characterize the different boiling regimes around a single, laser-heated gold nanoparticle.
• To compare nanoscale boiling phenomena with classical boiling theory.
• To explore the formation and dynamics of vapor nanobubbles.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a continuously laser-heated 80 nm gold nanoparticle.
• Observed and analyzed transient and continuous nanoscale boiling events.
• Measured vapor nanobubble formation and oscillation frequencies.

Main Results:

• Identified distinct nanoscale boiling regimes: transient, continuous vapor film, and stable nanobubble formation.
• Observed nanoscale boiling crisis characterized by inertia-driven, unsustainable events.
• Detected nanobubble oscillations at intermediate powers (40-60 MHz), consistent with Rayleigh-Plesset model predictions.

Conclusions:

• Nanoscale boiling around nanoparticles exhibits unique regimes not directly analogous to classical boiling.
• Stable vapor nanobubbles and oscillations are observed at higher heating powers.
• The applicability of classical models like Rayleigh-Plesset to plasmonic vapor nanobubbles requires further investigation.