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Main Authors: Cai, Junhao, Li, Yuhan, Liu, Yunqiao, Wang, Benlong, Li, Mingbo
Format: Preprint
Published: 2025
Subjects:
Online Access:https://arxiv.org/abs/2505.13330
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author Cai, Junhao
Li, Yuhan
Liu, Yunqiao
Wang, Benlong
Li, Mingbo
author_facet Cai, Junhao
Li, Yuhan
Liu, Yunqiao
Wang, Benlong
Li, Mingbo
contents In this work, we present a unified experimental and simulation investigation of cavitation in aqueous electrolyte solutions, combining nanosecond laser-induced optical breakdown and all-atom molecular dynamics (MD) simulations under tensile stress. Across both cavitation scenarios, we find that cavitation inception and intensity (bubble nucleation count, cavitation-zone length, vapor-volume fraction) are governed by ionic strength alone, with negligible dependence on the ion species. In laser experiments, increasing ionic strength lowers the breakdown threshold and amplifies bubble generation by supplying extra seed electrons for inverse Bremsstrahlung-driven avalanche ionization. We elucidate the mechanism of action of the ionic strength through the MD simulations, which essentially quantifies the net charge density in the bulk, and thus its combined influence on the generation of seed electrons and the perturbation of the hydration network. These findings identify ionic strength serving as a unifying parameter controlling cavitation in electrolyte solutions: whether driven by rapid energy deposition or by tensile stress imposed.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2505_13330
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Ionic strength-driven cavitation nucleation: from energy deposition-based to tension-based cavitation
Cai, Junhao
Li, Yuhan
Liu, Yunqiao
Wang, Benlong
Li, Mingbo
Fluid Dynamics
In this work, we present a unified experimental and simulation investigation of cavitation in aqueous electrolyte solutions, combining nanosecond laser-induced optical breakdown and all-atom molecular dynamics (MD) simulations under tensile stress. Across both cavitation scenarios, we find that cavitation inception and intensity (bubble nucleation count, cavitation-zone length, vapor-volume fraction) are governed by ionic strength alone, with negligible dependence on the ion species. In laser experiments, increasing ionic strength lowers the breakdown threshold and amplifies bubble generation by supplying extra seed electrons for inverse Bremsstrahlung-driven avalanche ionization. We elucidate the mechanism of action of the ionic strength through the MD simulations, which essentially quantifies the net charge density in the bulk, and thus its combined influence on the generation of seed electrons and the perturbation of the hydration network. These findings identify ionic strength serving as a unifying parameter controlling cavitation in electrolyte solutions: whether driven by rapid energy deposition or by tensile stress imposed.
title Ionic strength-driven cavitation nucleation: from energy deposition-based to tension-based cavitation
topic Fluid Dynamics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2505.13330