Nanobubble Dynamics in Aqueous Surfactant Solutions Studied by Liquid-Phase Transmission Electron Microscopy
Yuna Bae,
Sungsu Kang,
Byung Hyo Kim,
Kitaek Lim,
Sungho Jeon,
Sangdeok Shim,
Won Chul Lee,
Jungwon Park
Affiliations
Yuna Bae
School of Chemical and Biological Engineering, and Institute of Chemical Processes, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea; Center for Nanoparticle Research, Institute of Basic Science (IBS), Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
Sungsu Kang
School of Chemical and Biological Engineering, and Institute of Chemical Processes, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea; Center for Nanoparticle Research, Institute of Basic Science (IBS), Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
Byung Hyo Kim
School of Chemical and Biological Engineering, and Institute of Chemical Processes, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea; Center for Nanoparticle Research, Institute of Basic Science (IBS), Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea; Department of Organic Materials and Fiber Engineering, Soongsil University, Seoul 06978, Republic of Korea
Kitaek Lim
Department of Mechanical Engineering, BK21 FOUR ERICA-ACE Center, Hanyang University, Ansan 15588, Republic of Korea
Sungho Jeon
Department of Mechanical Engineering, BK21 FOUR ERICA-ACE Center, Hanyang University, Ansan 15588, Republic of Korea
Sangdeok Shim
Department of Chemistry, Sunchon National University, Suncheon 57922, Republic of Korea; Corresponding authors.
Won Chul Lee
Department of Mechanical Engineering, BK21 FOUR ERICA-ACE Center, Hanyang University, Ansan 15588, Republic of Korea; Corresponding authors.
Jungwon Park
School of Chemical and Biological Engineering, and Institute of Chemical Processes, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea; Center for Nanoparticle Research, Institute of Basic Science (IBS), Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea; Corresponding authors.
Nanobubbles have attracted considerable attention in various industrial applications due to their exceptionally long lifetime and their potential as carriers at the nanoscale. The stability and physiochemical properties of nanobubbles are highly sensitive to the presence of surfactants that can lower their surface tension or improve their electrostatic stabilization. Herein, we report real-time observations of the dynamic behaviors of nanobubbles in the presence of soluble surfactants. Using liquid-phase transmission electron microscopy (TEM) with multi-chamber graphene liquid cells, bulk nanobubbles and surface nanobubbles were observed in the same imaging condition. Our direct observations of nanobubbles indicate that stable gas transport frequently occurs without interfaces merging, while a narrow distance is maintained between the interfaces of interacting surfactant-laden nanobubbles. Our results also elucidate that the interface curvature of nanobubbles is an important factor that determines their interfacial stability.
