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Regulation of bubble evolution dynamics by surfactants during water electrolysis
Junjie Chu1, Zongxu Wang2, Yawei Liu3
1State Key Laboratory of Heavy Oil Processing, College of Chemical Engineering and Environment, China University of Petroleum (Beijing), Beijing 102249, China; Center of Ionic Liquids and Green Energy, Beijing Key Laboratory of Solid State Battery and Energy Storage Process, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China.
Journal of Colloid and Interface Science
|April 30, 2026
Summary
Electrostatic forces from surfactants significantly impact gas bubble detachment in water-splitting, enhancing efficiency. Anionic surfactants accelerate detachment, while cationic ones increase adhesion, offering a new control pathway.
Area of Science:
- Electrochemistry
- Surface Science
- Fluid Dynamics
Background:
- Efficient gas bubble detachment is critical for optimizing water-splitting systems.
- The precise mechanisms governing bubble detachment, particularly electrostatic interactions, are not fully understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the influence of surfactant charge properties on gas bubble detachment dynamics.
- To determine if electrostatic forces play a dominant role in bubble detachment compared to buoyancy and Marangoni stresses.
Main Methods:
- Combined high-speed imaging and electrochemical analysis to study H2 bubble evolution during the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER).
- Employed finite-element simulations and force analysis to quantify buoyancy, Marangoni, and electrostatic forces.
- Investigated the effects of anionic (sodium dodecanesulfonate, SLS) and cationic (cetyltrimethylammonium bromide, CTAB) surfactants.
Main Results:
- Surfactants induce electrostatic forces that become the primary driver of bubble detachment.
- Anionic SLS increased bubble detachment frequency by 3.5-fold and HER current density by ~34%.
- Electrostatic forces (~6.78 μN) were found to dominate over buoyancy (~2.47 μN) and Marangoni forces (~0.12 μN).
- Cationic CTAB enhanced bubble adhesion, delaying release.
Conclusions:
- Surfactant-derived electrostatic forces critically control microscale bubble detachment.
- Tailoring interfacial electrostatics through rational surfactant selection offers a promising strategy for modulating bubble dynamics in electrochemical systems.
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