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Direct Observation of Homogeneous Cavitation in Nanopores
V Doebele1, A Benoit-Gonin1, F Souris1
1Université Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, Institut Néel, F-38042 Grenoble, France.
Physical Review Letters
|January 8, 2021
Summary
Evaporation in nanoporous materials occurs via cavitation, a process predicted by classical nucleation theory. This study highlights porous alumina membranes as a key system for exploring deeply metastable liquids.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Physical Chemistry
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- Nanoporous materials offer unique environments for studying liquid behavior.
- Understanding evaporation mechanisms in confined geometries is crucial for various applications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the evaporation mechanism of hexane in ink-bottle-shaped nanopores.
- To determine if homogeneous cavitation plays a role in liquid evaporation from mesoporous materials.
Main Methods:
- Utilized porous alumina and silicon membranes with ink-bottle-shaped nanopores.
- Measured the pressure dependence of the cavitation rate during hexane evaporation.
Main Results:
- Demonstrated that cavity evaporation in alumina membranes proceeds via cavitation.
- Observed that cavitation rates align with predictions from classical nucleation theory.
Conclusions:
- Homogeneous cavitation is a relevant evaporation mechanism in mesoporous materials.
- Porous alumina membranes are suitable for studying liquids in deeply metastable states.
