The breakup dynamics of bubbles stabilized by nanoparticles in a microfluidic Y-junction

Abstract

The breakup flow patterns, the neck dynamics and the tip dynamics of bubbles stabilized by adsorptive nanoparticles in microfluidic Y-junction were investigated. Three flow patterns were observed in the Y-junction: non-breakup, breakup with partial obstruction, and breakup with permanent obstruction. Compared with bubbles stabilized only by surfactants (conventional bubbles), bubbles stabilized by nanoparticles (hardening bubbles) are more difficult to breakup. The breakup process with partial obstruction could be divided into three stages: squeezing, transition and pinch-off. Nanoparticles have little effect on the squeezing stage, but could greatly prolong the transition stage while accelerate the pinch-off stage. The difference between hardening and conventional bubbles is weakened, even disappears as the dispersion flow rate increases. Besides, the “rigid” surface of hardening bubbles could cause the decrease of the curvature of daughter bubble tips and the tunnels between the daughter bubbles and the channel wall in comparison with conventional bubbles.