Usefulness of Bursting Bubbles

David Fernández Rivas
University of Twente - The Netherlands

For many scientists “bubble means trouble”, for example in a clogged microfluidic channel or in solar-to-fuel devices covering the electrodes’ surface.

Recently, financial and technological bubbles have damaged bubble’s reputation even more. I will present a story about different types of bubbles that when tamed, can cause several useful effects.

bursting-bubbles.jpg

For many scientists “bubble means trouble”, for example in a clogged microfluidic channel or in solar-to-fuel devices covering the electrodes’ surface.

Recently, financial and technological bubbles have damaged bubble’s reputation even more. I will present a story about different types of bubbles that when tamed, can cause several useful effects.

During my scientific career I have been involved in disparate research projects in what I call Buccaneering Science. Thanks to different bubbles created either with ultrasound, laser or electrochemically, I have managed to build a somewhat chaotically-coherent path that lead me to co-found a spin-off company BuBclean (www.bubclean.nl).

In this talk I will share results and experiences in projects I am involved, hoping to convince you that “a bubble is not always trouble”.