Dynamic Equilibrium Mechanism for Surface Nanobubble Stabilization

Brenner, Michael P. and Lohse, Detlef (2008) Dynamic Equilibrium Mechanism for Surface Nanobubble Stabilization. Physical Review Letters, 101 (21). p. 214505. ISSN 0031-9007

PDF
Restricted to UT campus only: Request a copy
210Kb

Abstract:	Recent experiments have convincingly demonstrated the existence of surface nanobubbles on submerged hydrophobic surfaces. However, classical theory dictates that small gaseous bubbles quickly dissolve because their large Laplace pressure causes a diffusive outflux of gas. Here we suggest that the bubbles are stabilized by a continuous influx of gas near the contact line, due to the gas attraction towards hydrophobic walls [Dammer and Lohse, Phys. Rev. Lett. 96, 206101 (2006); Zhang et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 98, 136101 (2007); Mezger et al., J. Chem. Phys. 128, 244705 (2008)]. This influx balances the outflux and allows for a metastable equilibrium, which, however, vanishes in thermodynamic equilibrium. Our theory predicts the equilibrium radius of the surface nanobubbles, as well as the threshold for surface nanobubble formation as a function of hydrophobicity and gas concentration.
Item Type:	Article
Copyright:	© 2008 American Physical Society
Faculty:	Science and Technology (TNW)
Research Group:	Physics of Fluids (POF)
Link to this item:	http://purl.utwente.nl/publications/61200
Official URL:	http://dx.doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.101.214505
Export this item as:	BibTeX EndNote HTML Citation Reference Manager

Show download statistics for this publication

Repository Staff Only: item control page

Metis ID: 251279