Chapter 1 - What Is Sonochemistry?

Abstract

The authors present a general introduction to the scientific discipline of sonochemistry and the history of sonochemistry. The origin of sonochemistry is explained in terms of rarefaction and collapse of bubbles caused with ultrasound. Sonochemistry deals with physical phenomena and chemical reactions caused by acoustic cavitation, by which high pressure and temperature conditions, called the “hot spot,” are created. The history of sonochemistry, starting from the achievement reported by Wood and Loomis in 1927, is reviewed, and, in particular, the epochs of sonochemistry are presented.