Directional transport and random motion of particles in ALF ultrasonic cavitation structure

Abstract

The motion of particles of different properties and sizes in ALF ultrasonic cavitation structure is investigated experimentally with high-speed photography. Particles tend to transport along the bubble chain and move towards the focus repeatedly and predictably in ALF cavitation structures. Particles at the focus aggregate and separate alternately over time. The separation of particles mainly occurs in the expansion process of cavitation bubbles, while the movement and aggregation of particles mostly take place during the collapse stage. The directional transport of particles along the bubble chain of ALF cavitation cloud and the random aggregation and dispersion at the focus of ALF are all related to the cavitation bubbles attached to the particles. The directional transportation (predictable, repeatable and pipeline-free) and aggregation of particles in ALF cavitation clouds may be used in special occasions, for example, drug delivery and targeted therapy.

Keywords: Aggregation; Cavitation bubbles; Directional transport; Particles; Ultrasonic cavitation cloud.