Surfactant-laden bubble bursting: Dynamics of capillary waves and Worthington jet at large Bond number

Abstract

We present a numerical study of the main substages preceding aerosol formation via bursting bubbles: capillary wave propagation along the bubble, convergence at the bubble's apex, and the ascent of a Worthington jet and its breakup to release liquid drops. We focus on two crucial yet overlooked aspects of the system: the presence of surface-active agents and dynamics driven by non-negligible gravitational effects, quantified by the Bond number. Our results propose a mechanism explaining capillary wave retardation in the presence of surfactants, involving the transition from bi- to unidirectional Marangoni stresses, which pull the interface upwards, countering the motion of the waves. We also quantitatively elucidate the variable nature of the waves' velocity with various surfactant parameters, including surfactant solubility and elasticity, a departure from the constant behavior well documented in clean interfaces. Published by the American Physical Society 2024