On the bubble-surfactant interaction

Surfactants play an important role in numerous chemical applications. Their effects on dispersion systems, as emulsions and colloids, are vastly studied. Yet, the dissolution (kinetics) of surfactants themselves has not received much scientific attention, despite the high implications for industrial applications. Nevertheless one can acknowledge the rapid growth of new technologies which are being considered to enhance various chemical processes, one being cavitation the rapid growth and collapse of vapor bubbles, which results in the formation of shockwaves, streaming, free radicals, high local temperatures etc. In this paper, we investigate the influence of cavitation on the dissolution rate of Sodium Dodecyl Benzene Sulfonate. Using a high-speed camera, we determined the physics of the dissolution process. We have shown that the presence of cavitation greatly enhances the dissolution rate of surfactant in water through a process comparable to cavitation erosion. Finally, based on our findings, we also present the newly developed cavitation reactor, which could be potentially used for enhancing the process of washing powder dissolution in home appliances.