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On-Demand Bulk Nanobubble Generation through Pulsed Laser Illumination
Juan Manuel Rosselló1, Claus-Dieter Ohl1
1Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg, Institute of Experimental Physics, Universitätsplatz 2, 39106 Magdeburg, Germany.
Physical Review Letters
|August 6, 2021
Summary
Pulsed laser irradiation controllably nucleates nanobubbles in water. This cavitation nucleation occurs above 58 MW/cm², offering a new method to study stable bulk nanobubbles.
Area of Science:
- Fluid dynamics
- Laser physics
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- Bulk nanobubbles in liquids are challenging to create controllably.
- Understanding nanobubble nucleation is crucial for various scientific applications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To demonstrate temporally and spatially controlled nucleation of bulk nanobubbles in water.
- To investigate the laser intensity threshold for nanobubble formation.
- To characterize the size of laser-induced nanobubbles.
Main Methods:
- Pulsed laser irradiation with a collimated beam.
- Microscopic high-speed imaging.
- Solving the diffusion equation.
Main Results:
- Transient bubbles nucleated within the laser-exposed region.
- Nanobubble nucleation occurred at laser intensities above 58 MW/cm².
- Estimated nanobubble radii were below 420 nm for ~80% of the population.
Conclusions:
- Laser-induced cavitation provides a method for controlled nanobubble nucleation.
- This technique may enable new investigations into the existence of stable bulk nanobubbles.
