Gases play a crucial role in countless chemical reactions, and bubbles serve as a means to trap these gases in solution. Unlike larger bubbles, nanobubbles exhibit remarkable stability—they can persist in a solution much longer without rupturing. This enhanced stability enables a greater concentration of gases in the solution, significantly increasing the time available for critical chemical reactions to take place.
Dr. Hamidreza Samouei is leading a team of researchers at Texas A&M University who are deepening their comprehension of the factors that contribute to the stability of nanobubbles—bubbles with diameters smaller than that of a single hair strand.
“When we inject gas at the industrial scale, we don’t want to waste that gas. We want to maximize its use for chemical reactions,” said Samouei, a research assistant professor in the Harold Vance Department of Petroleum Engineering. “That’s the main purpose, to keep the gas in solution for a very, very long time, ideally infinite time; to keep the gas in solution without bursting.”
Scientists have found that the stability of nanobubbles primarily depends on their electric charges and how those charges interact with the solvent. The presence of any additives in the solution also influences the stability of nanobubbles.
Nanobubbles’ capacity to retain gas in a solution opens up numerous practical applications, such as in wastewater treatment, hydroponics, and disinfection.
In hydroponic farming, for example, plants that are grown with the assistance of nanobubbles tend to grow larger than those without them. This is primarily because nanobubbles provide more oxygen in the water, thereby creating a more favorable environment for plant growth.
The study of nanobubble stability is only one aspect of a larger research endeavor. Researchers are also injecting carbon dioxide into saltwater solutions to extract various minerals. This process, known as brine mining, allows for the collection of minerals that can be used in numerous applications, including lithium batteries and magnesium fertilizers.
“For this project, we wanted a way to increase carbon dioxide concentrations, so we used nanobubbles,” Samouei notes. “Now that we have a better understanding of how to increase the lifetime of a nanobubble, they will be a key tool in brine mining practices.”
Journal reference:
- Mohammadjavad Karimi, Gholamabbas Parsafar, Hamidreza Samouei. Polarizing Perspectives: Ion- and Dipole-Induced Dipole Interactions Dictate Bulk Nanobubble Stability. The Journal of Physical Chemistry B, 2024; DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.4c03973
