Tracking the Explosive Boiling Dynamics at the Alcohol/MXene Interface

Area of Science:

• Interface Science
• Materials Science
• Spectroscopy

Background:

• Explosive boiling at liquid-solid interfaces is crucial in various applications.
• Understanding the dynamics of explosive boiling is essential for optimizing processes.
• MXene nanosheets offer unique properties for studying interfacial phenomena.

Purpose of the Study:

• To demonstrate real-time tracking of explosive boiling dynamics.
• To investigate the stages and conditions of explosive boiling at alcohol/MXene interfaces.
• To provide microscopic insights into liquid-solid interfacial phenomena.

Main Methods:

• Ultrafast spectroscopy to monitor photoinduced lattice dynamics of MXene nanosheets.
• Photothermal modeling to evaluate explosive boiling occurrence conditions.
• Analysis of thermal conduction, diffusion, and acoustic pressure.

Main Results:

• Explosive boiling dynamics were observed in three cascading stages: initiation (0-1 ns), phase explosion (1-6 ns), and termination (>6 ns).
• Photothermal modeling confirmed experimental observations and suggested a liquid-to-vapor phase transition of approximately 17-25 alcohol molecule layers.
• Insights into thermal transport and acoustic pressure during the early stages of explosive boiling were obtained.

Conclusions:

• This study provides a fundamental understanding of explosive boiling dynamics at the microscopic level.
• The methodology offers a novel approach to study interfacial phase transitions.
• The findings advance the knowledge of liquid-solid interactions during rapid phase changes.