Nanostructural features on stable microbubbles

Stable, surfactant-coated microbubbles offer an interesting new platform on which to study the nanostructural features of Langmuir monolayers, particularly in regions of high compression and where curvature effects are important. Recent electron and fluorescence microscopy images have revealed a rich array of possible domain shapes. Polygons, dendrites, beans and networks have been observed. Domain formation arises owing to Laplace-pressure-driven compression and may occur through more than one mechanism, such as phase separation or a buckling transition. Highlighted are recent reports on the relationships between surfactant composition, processing history and domain nanostructure. More work is necessary to better understand the origins of nanostructure and the impact on microbubble properties. Such insights will lead to creative and innovative microbubble formulations for biomedical and industrial applications.