Cleaning with Bulk Nanobubbles.
The electrolysis of aqueous solutions produces solutions that are supersaturated in oxygen and hydrogen gas. This results in the formation of gas bubbles, including nanobubbles ∼100 nm in size that are stable for ∼24 h. These aqueous solutions containing bubbles have been evaluated for cleaning efficacy in the removal of model contaminants bovine serum albumin and lysozyme from surfaces and in the prevention of the fouling of surfaces by these same proteins. Hydrophilic and hydrophobic surfaces were investigated. It is shown that nanobubbles can prevent the fouling of surfaces and that they can also clean already fouled surfaces. It is also argued that in practical applications where cleaning is carried out rapidly using a high degree of mechanical agitation the role of cleaning agents is not primarily in assisting the removal of soil but in suspending the soil that is removed by mechanical action and preventing it from redepositing onto surfaces. This may also be the primary mode of action of nanobubbles during cleaning.
Department of Chemical Physics, Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, University of Science and Technology of China , Hefei, PR China 230026.
Jie
J
Zhu
Department of Applied Mathematics, Research School of Physical Sciences and Engineering, Australian National University , Canberra ACT 2601, Australia.
Hongjie
H
An
Department of Applied Mathematics, Research School of Physical Sciences and Engineering, Australian National University , Canberra ACT 2601, Australia.
Muidh
M
Alheshibri
Department of Chemical Physics, Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, University of Science and Technology of China , Hefei, PR China 230026.
Lvdan
L
Liu
Consumer Technology Research Institute , Wageningen, The Netherlands.
Paul M J
PM
Terpstra
Department of Chemical Physics, Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, University of Science and Technology of China , Hefei, PR China 230026.
Guangming
G
Liu
Department of Applied Mathematics, Research School of Physical Sciences and Engineering, Australian National University , Canberra ACT 2601, Australia.
Vincent S J
VS
Craig