Bubble inflation

Electrochemically generated bubbles were also used as microfluidic valves (see Figure 3.32). The valves closed when the bubbles inflated, and vice versa [458]. 

FIGURE 3.32 (a) SEM micrograph of an electrochemical bubble valve chip consisting of a microchannel and a pair of electrodes. (b[ 6) Optical micrographs showing bubble inflation and deflation. The flow direction is indicated by an arrow. The dark edges near the channel are an optical artifact [458], Reprinted with permission from the American Chemical Society. 

FIGURE 5.12 Change in the glass temperature as a function of film thickness for polystyrene and poly(vinyl acetate). The PS results are consistent, with there being a large reduction of Tg for the thinnest films. For the PVAc, the results are consistent with there being no reduction in Tg. Tg estimates come from the time-temperature superposition behavior of bubble inflation experiments. (After O Connell and McKenna [2008].)... 

Measurement of biaxial extensional rheological properties using bubble inflation and stability of bubble expansion in bread doughs. In Bubbles in food, ed. G. M. Gampbell, G. Webb, and S. S. Pandiella, 173-182. St. Paul, MN AACG International. 

In a Report probably written in Swedish at an earlier time, but which appeared in French in 1773, Wilke describes what one observes on soap bubbles inflated at a very low temperature. He writes as follows If one forms these bubbles in a enough cold air for them to freeze, one sees small particles of snow which condense and float freely on the bubble, in the form of small stars. The time most suitable to blow the bubbles is the moment when the soap water starts to freeze. The stars appear initially in the form of small points, from where one then sees rays leaving little by little. These stars are usually hexagonal. One sees the same star passing through a series of different shapes, whose majority were already observed in natural snow. The... 

In 1843, Marianini wrote about an interesting experiment, where occurs, moreover, a fact similar to those announced by Mr. Draper one drops a soap bubble, inflated with the mouth, in a broad glass test-tube filled to two thirds approximately... 

We study the permeability of a soap bubble inflated with a gas nearly insoluble in water even in such an unfavourable case, the bubble leaks. The role played by the surfactant in the transport of gas is investigated. 

Recently, a method based on the determination of a dynamic properly, the absolute biaxial creep compliance, has been developed in our lab [5]. The method is a scaled down version of the classic bubble inflation technique [6-7], and is capable of measuring the biaxial creep comphance response of films as thin as 13 nm. In the foUowing we summarize this method and some of the prior results on ultrathin polymer films. In addition, we present new results of creep recovery in bubble deflation experiments as well as show images of rupturing... 

These results suggest that the bubble inflation method for measuring the properties of ultrathin polymer films has a broader range of applicability than originally foreseen. 

Thin film, glass transition, compliance, nano bubble inflation. 

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