What You Need to Know
The collapse of cavitation bubbles creates microjets and shock waves that impart shear stresses up to 10⁶ Pa, disrupting interfacial films and promoting dispersion. This physical disruption reduces droplet size and stabilizes emulsions without chemical additives, while the rapid energy input can transiently heat the sample, potentially affecting thermolabile components.
The Science
Primary Reaction
Cavitation bubble collapse → shear forces → droplet size reduction