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Updated: Oct 27, 2025

Induction of Microstreaming by Nonspherical Bubble Oscillations in an Acoustic Levitation System
Published on: May 9, 2021
Flowering in bursting bubbles with viscoelastic interfaces.
Daniele Tammaro1, Vinny Chandran Suja2, Aadithya Kannan2
1Dipartimento di Ingegneria Chimica, Materiali e della Produzione Industriale, University of Naples Federico II, I-80125 Napoli, Italy.
Surface viscoelasticity dramatically alters bubble bursting dynamics, revealing a novel "bubble flower" phenomenon. This discovery offers new ways to control liquid formulations and understand natural and industrial processes.
Area of Science:
- Fluid dynamics
- Surface science
- Colloid and interface science
Background:
- Bubble lifetime and rupture are critical in natural and industrial processes.
- Bubble rupture dynamics are influenced by liquid properties, surface energy, and forces like inertia and viscosity.
- The specific role of surface viscoelasticity in bubble rupture has remained largely unexplored.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of interfacial viscoelasticity on bubble bursting dynamics.
- To identify and characterize novel bubble rupture mechanisms driven by surface viscoelasticity.
- To develop a predictive model for bubble rupture phenomena influenced by surface viscoelasticity.
Main Methods:
- Experimental observation of bubble rupture with varying liquid properties.
- Analysis of bubble bursting mechanisms, including shape and velocity.
- Development of a simple modeling approach to predict rupture characteristics.
Main Results:
- Interfacial viscoelasticity significantly alters bubble bursting dynamics.
- A distinct "bubble flower" bursting mechanism was observed during the transition from viscous-controlled to viscoelasticity-controlled rupture.
- A model was proposed to predict the characteristic length scales and morphology of the "bubble flower" petals.
Conclusions:
- Surface viscoelasticity is a key factor controlling bubble bursting.
- The "bubble flower" phenomenon provides a new perspective on bubble rupture.
- Findings have implications for controlling liquid formulations and understanding phenomena like nutrient spreading and cell viability in bioreactors.
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