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Microbubble dynamics

Electrolyte type affects electrochemical bubble formation

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Gas bubble accumulation at interfaces is a barrier to achieving more efficient electrochemical devices. A clever model system to understand bubble formation during electrochemical hydrogen evolution now reveals similarities between the forces at play during their detachment from the catalyst surface and those involved in wine climbing up a glass.

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Fig. 1: Hydrogen bubble detachment dynamics and characteristic force balance with analogy to wine tears, both of which rely on Marangoni flow forces.

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Correspondence to Michaela Burke Stevens.

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Kamat, G.A., Burke Stevens, M. Electrolyte type affects electrochemical bubble formation. Nat. Chem. 15, 1488–1489 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41557-023-01351-6

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