Formation of Bulk Nanobubbles Induced by Accelerated Electrons Irradiation: Dependences on Dose Rates and Doses of Irradiation.

Abstract

Radiation on aqueous solutions can induce water radiolysis with products of radicals, H2, H2O2, and so on, and their consequent biological effects have long been interested in radiation chemistry. Unlike the decomposition of water by electric current that produces a significant number of bubbles, the gas products from the radiolysis of water are normally invisible by bare eyes, little is known on whether nanosized bubbles can be produced and what their dynamics are upon irradiation. Here, we first presented the formation of nanoscale bulk bubbles by irradiating pure water with accelerated electrons and their concentration and size distribution changes with the dose and rate of irradiation. The nanoparticle tracking analysis showed that irradiation can actually produce a certain amount of bulk nanobubbles in pure water. They exhibited a dependence on the irradiation dose rates and irradiation doses. The results indicated that the concentration of formed bulk nanobubbles increased as the irradiation dose rates increased, but it will increase and then decrease with the increased irradiation doses. The formed bulk nanobubbles could maintain stability for several hours. Our findings will provide a new angle of view for the radiation chemistry of water, and the formed nanobubbles may help elucidate the biological effects of irradiated solutions.