Electrokinetic Effects in Interfacial Air Bubble Dynamics

Professor Stan Miklavcic and Professor Roger Horn

Air bubbles play important roles in numerous systems including plastics and paper recycling, water treatment and mineral separation processes, foodstuffs, beverages, cosmetics, cleaning products, fire retardants, and natural systems such as rivers, oceans and biological fluids. The properties and behaviour of these systems and processes depend on how air bubbles in water interact with each other, and/or with other materials. Currently our understanding of the bubble interactions is incomplete. The improved understanding gained from this research project will lead to better ability to control the properties of systems and processes such as those listed above.

Funding

ARC Discovery Project DP0986371: Anomalous interfacial air bubble dynamics: the importance of electrokinetic effects in thin film drainage, $220,000.