Stability of surface and bulk nanobubbles

Abstract

The existence of stable nanoscopic gaseous domains in liquids, or nanobubbles, has attracted both skepticism and intrigue since classical theory predicts that spherical gas bubbles cannot achieve stable equilibrium. Can we prove these gaseous domains exist, and if they do, how do they survive? We critically review contemporary theoretical perspectives of the stability of surface and bulk nanobubbles and explain how experiments either vindicate or disprove them. We conclude with a discussion of unanswered questions and propose future directions for the field at large.