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Research project

EP/D05849X/1 Acoustoelectrochemistry Imaging System

Project overview

Cavitation events are short-lived gas bubbles that occur under the correct physical conditions. In order to study these events high- speed cameras can be used to understand the dynamics of the interfaces involved and the effects they have of other sensors placed close to them. In this project two camera systems will be developed with the ability to acquire images at high rates (up to 400,000 frames per second). Under these conditions the cavitation events can be viewed in real time and their effects correlated with the data obtained from a number of different sensors placed within the local environment. These sensors will use, for example, electrochemical and acoustic technology to detect how the liquid around the bubble moves and the damage that the bubbles can do to a solid surface. This study will enable the true effects of cavitation, and related bubble phenomena, to be clarified. In addition these camera systems will be used to study the fast motion of aquatic organisms (for example the mantis shrimp) which are suspected to generate large cavitation bubbles as they attack their prey/defend themselves from other predators. Finally the cameras will be used to study the processes that occur at the gas/liquid interface of a breaking wave.

Staff

Lead researchers

Professor Peter Birkin

Professor
Research interests
  • My work has centred on the phenomena of cavitation; this is both a fascinating and experiment…
Connect with Peter

Email: prb2@soton.ac.uk

Collaborating research institutes, centres and groups

Research outputs

In-situ detection of single particle impact, erosion/corrosion and surface roughening
P.R. Birkin, R. Lear, L. Webster, Laura Powell & H.L. Martin, 2021, Wear, 464-465
DOI: 10.1016/j.wear.2020.203527
Type: article
Cavitation clusters in lipid systems – ring-up, bubble population, and bifurcated streamer lifetime
Peter R. Birkin, Jack Youngs, Tadd Truscott & Silvana Martini, 2020, Ultrasonics Sonochemistry, 67, 1-6
DOI: 10.1016/j.ultsonch.2020.105168
Type: article
Generation and in situ electrochemical detection of transient nanobubbles
Peter R. Birkin, Steven Linfield, Jack Youngs & Guy Denuault, 2020, The Journal of Physical Chemistry C, 124(13), 7544-7549
DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcc.0c00435
Type: article
Particle induced surface erosion – Tumbling and direct impact; a high-speed electrochemical, acoustic and visual study
Peter R. Birkin & Jennifer, Lucy Barber, 2019, Wear, 428-429, 147-153
DOI: 10.1016/j.wear.2019.02.011
Type: article
An activated fluid stream – new techniques for cold water cleaning
Peter R. Birkin, Douglas G. Offin & Timothy G. Leighton, 2016, Ultrasonics Sonochemistry, 29, 612-618
DOI: 10.1016/j.ultsonch.2015.10.001
Type: article
Electrochemical ‘bubble swarm’ enhancement of ultrasonic surface cleaning
P.R. Birkin, D.G. Offin, C.J.B. Vian & T.G. Leighton, 2015, Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, 17(33), 21709-21715
DOI: 10.1039/c5cp02933c
Type: article
Removal of dental biofilms with an ultrasonically-activated water stream
R.P. Howlin, S. Fabbri, D.G. Offin, N. Symonds, K.S. Kiang, R.J. Knee, D.C. Yoganantham, J.S. Webb, P.R. Birkin, T.G. Leighton & P. Stoodley, 2015, Journal of Dental Research, 94(9), 1303-1309
DOI: 10.1177/0022034515589284
Type: article