The existence and stability of bulk nanobubbles: a long-standing dispute on the experimentally observed mesoscopic inhomogeneities in aqueous solutions
Changsheng Chen, Jing Li, Xianren Zhang
Abstract
Abstract In theory, nanobubbles can stably exist with a lifetime of microseconds at most, but numerous experimental observations demonstrate that nanobubbles in bulk solution can be stable from hours to weeks. Although various conjectures on the stability mechanism of bulk nanobubbles, such as the contaminant mechanism, skin mechanism, surface zeta potential mechanism, are proposed, there has not yet been a unified conclusion. Since bulk nanobubbles show great potential in a wide spectrum of applications and are relevant to a number of unsolved questions on cavitation and nucleation, the debate over their stability mechanisms has been active. In the past, extensive studies have been carried out to understand the mechanism of nanobubble stability, and important insights have already been provided. This paper will provide a brief overview of our current understanding of the unexpected stability of bulk nanobubbles.