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Published on: October 5, 2018
Promoting ultrasonic cavitation via Negative-Curvature nanoparticles
Zhouling Wu1, Xiaobin Liu1, Huiying Guo2
1Institute of Advanced Synthesis (IAS), and School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Jiangsu National Synergetic Innovation Centre for Advanced Materials, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing 211816, China; Department of Chemistry, School of Science and Research Center for Industries of the Future, Westlake University, 600 Dunyu Road, Hangzhou 310030, Zhejiang Province, China.
Abstract:
It is a challenge to study the nucleation of cavitation bubbles, which critically depends on nanoscale morphological features. Our recent advances in synthesizing colloidal negative-curvature nanoparticles (NGC-NPs) offer a rare opportunity, in comparison to the conventional studies of bulk substrates, where it is difficult to obtain consistent and well-defined surface features. In order to quantitatively assess their effects, we exploit the radical-induced color change of [Fe(SCN)6]3-, which turned out to be a more convenient method than the bending of AgNWs and the fluorescence-based methods. We show that the NGC-NPs outperform positive-curvature nanoparticles (PSC-NPs) and homogeneous nucleation, in terms of promoting cavitation. The NGC-NPs provide a higher percentage of gas-solid interface, and thus reduces the activation barrier during the critical stage of bubble nucleation. This leads a higher probability of cavitation and transforms more energy from ultrasonication to radical formation and shockwaves.
