ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Chem.
Sec. Chemical Physics and Physical Chemistry
How volatile components stabilize bulk nanobubbles: a model study
Jing Li 1
Zhenjiang Guo 2
Shuai Xia 1
Hongguang Zhang 3
Xianren Zhang 2
1. Jining Medical University, Jining, China
2. Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, China
3. Nanjing University Medical School Affiliated Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Nanjing, China
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Abstract
Although bulk nanobubbles have been widely studied, the contribution of volatile components to their stability remains largely unexplored. This work investigates the stabilizing effect of volatile components (e.g., CO2, short-chain hydrocarbons) on nanobubbles in liquid bulk. A thermodynamic model is established to account for the dynamic equilibrium between non-condensable gas (exemplified by oxygen) and volatile species inside the bubble. The model predicts specific radii for stable nanobubbles, a prediction that is corroborated by molecular dynamics simulations. Our findings demonstrate that volatile components introduce a negative-feedback mechanism that balances gas exchange across the bubble interface, thereby enabling long-term stability. By contrast, systems containing only non-condensable gases fail to sustain stable nanobubbles. Thus, this study reveals the synergistic interaction between volatile and non‑condensable gases as a key mechanism for stabilizing bulk nanobubbles.
Summary
Keywords
Bulk nanobubbles, Dynamic equilibrium, Molecular dynamics simulation (MD), stability, Volatile components
Received
20 January 2026
Accepted
05 February 2026
Copyright
© 2026 Li, Guo, Xia, Zhang and Zhang. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
*Correspondence: Shuai Xia; Hongguang Zhang
Disclaimer
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