Volume 16, Issue 5 p. 1003-1007
Article

Interfacial Nanobubbles on Atomically Flat Substrates with Different Hydrophobicities

Xingya Wang,

Department of Physics, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211 (PR China)

Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201800 (PR China)

Shanghai Synchrotron Radiation Facility, Shanghai 201204 (PR China)

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Binyu Zhao,

Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201800 (PR China)

Key Laboratory of Interfacial Physics and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201800 (PR China)

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Wangguo Ma,

Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201800 (PR China)

Institute of Mathematics and Physics, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha 410004 (PR China)

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Ying Wang,

Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201800 (PR China)

Key Laboratory of Interfacial Physics and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201800 (PR China)

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Prof. Xingyu Gao,

Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201800 (PR China)

Shanghai Synchrotron Radiation Facility, Shanghai 201204 (PR China)

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Prof. Renzhong Tai,

Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201800 (PR China)

Shanghai Synchrotron Radiation Facility, Shanghai 201204 (PR China)

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Prof. Xingfei Zhou,

Corresponding Author

Department of Physics, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211 (PR China)

Xingfei Zhou, Department of Physics, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211 (PR China)

Lijuan Zhang, Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201800 (PR China)

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Prof. Lijuan Zhang,

Corresponding Author

Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201800 (PR China)

Shanghai Synchrotron Radiation Facility, Shanghai 201204 (PR China)

Xingfei Zhou, Department of Physics, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211 (PR China)

Lijuan Zhang, Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201800 (PR China)

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First published: 18 February 2015
Citations: 16

Abstract

Blowing nanobubbles: The morphological properties of interfacial nanobubbles immobilized on Si3N4, mica, and highly ordered pyrolytic graphite substrates partly covered by reduced graphene oxide are investigated by using PeakForce quantitative nanomechanics (PF-QNM) mode AFM. Nanoscale contact angles of the nanobubbles are correlated with the macroscopic hydrophobicity of the substrates.

Abstract

The dependence of the morphology of interfacial nanobubbles on atomically flat substrates with different wettability ranges was investigated by using PeakForce quantitative nanomechanics. Interfacial nanobubbles were formed and imaged on silicon nitride (Si3N4), mica, and highly ordered pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) substrates that were partly covered by reduced graphene oxide (rGO). The contact angles and sizes of those nanobubbles were measured under the same conditions. Nanobubbles with the same lateral width exhibited different heights on the different substrates, with the order Si3N4≈mica>rGO>HOPG, which is consistent with the trend of the hydrophobicity of the substrates.