People's teeth-chattering experiences in the dentist's chair could be improved by fresh insights into how tiny, powerful bubbles are formed by ultra-fast vibrations, a study suggests.
The physics of how so-called nanobubbles are generated could have a range of clinical and industrial applications, including in dental hygiene devices used to remove plaque, experts say.
The findings could also inform the development of other technologies - such as devices to selectively target tumour cells - that harness the energy released when the bubbles burst.
Engineers at the University of Edinburgh ran complex supercomputer simulations to better understand the underlying mechanisms behind the formation of nanobubbles - which are tens of thousands of times smaller than a pinhead.
The team modelled the movement of individual molecules in a thin layer of water on a surface vibrating a million times faster than the flapping of a hummingbird's wings.
Their analysis revealed that nanobubbles can form either when vibrations cause the water to boil, or when the water pressure drops to a point where liquid becomes vapour - a process called cavitation.
The study, published in the journal Nano Letters , was supported by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council.
Researchers ran their calculations using the ARCHER UK National Supercomputing Service, which is operated by EPCC, the University's high-performance computing facility.
Saikat Datta, of the University of Edinburgh's School of Engineering, said: "We now have a better understanding of how vibrations at the smallest scale can be exploited to produce nanobubbles. This work has a broad scope for future research and will help researchers devise new experiments to shed further light on the generation of nanobubbles."
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Nano Letters