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Updated: Sep 9, 2025

Activating Molecules, Ions, and Solid Particles with Acoustic Cavitation
Published on: April 11, 2014
Launching by cavitation
Dalei Wang1, Zixiao Liu2, Hongping Zhao1
1National Key Laboratory for Development and Utilization of Forest Food Resources, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou, China.
Abstract:
Cavitation, characterized by formation of vapor bubbles in a low-pressure or high-temperature region of a liquid, is often destructive, but it can be harnessed for actuators and robots. We exploit cavitation to accumulate substantial energy in superheated liquids by suppressing its immediate release until reaching a stability limit. The energetic, unstable bubbles collapse violently, producing a burst of high power and force that initiates motion. Notably, a millimeter-scale device launched by cavitation can jump to a height of 1.5 meters-reaching a 12 meters per second (m/s) peak velocity, a 7.14 × 104 m/s2 acceleration, and a 0.64% energy efficiency-and can also swim on water at 12 centimeters per second. Cavitation-based launching works with a broad range of device materials, liquid media, stimuli, and operational environments.
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