Muthupandian Ashokkumar
Assoc. Professor and ReaderCONTACT DETAILS:
Teaching responsibilities
Field of expertiseSonochemistry and sonoluminescenceUltrasound, a sound wave of frequency > 20 kHz, can lead to acoustic cavitation in liquids. Acoustic cavitation refers to the sound-induced growth and collapse of microbubbles. The near-adiabatic and inertial collapse of microbubbles heats the interior of these bubbles to a few thousand degrees. In addition to the generation of these micro hot spots, the collapse of these bubbles also leads to radical production and several physical effects, such as, shock wave formation, turbulent flow of the liquid surrounding the cavitation bubbles, etc. Sonochemistry (SC) refers to the ultrasound induced chemical reactions, where the radicals mentioned above play a major role[1]. Cavitation is also accompanied by light emission, known as Sonoluminescence (SL)[1]. Our research group has been exploring various industrial applications of ultrasound[1-3]. In collaboration with Food Science Australia, we have also been investigating the use of ultrasound in food processing applications[3]. We have also been exploring the use of ultrasound for wastewater treatment. One of our PhD projects focuses on the mechanism of sonochemical degradation of organic pollutants in aqueous environment. Other projects include the sonochemical synthesis of metal, semiconductor and polymer nanoparticles[4]. The fundamental understanding of the cavitation phenomenon and how various solutes present in solutions could influence the cavitation bubble field is crucial to improve the efficiency of SC reactions. For this purpose, SL has been used as a probe to understand the effects of dissolved solutes on cavitation bubbles[5]. One of our PhD projects looks at the effect of solutes on the SL intensity at various ultrasound power and frequencies. Another PhD project looks at the effect of solutes on the cavitation bubble temperature. The outcome of these projects will provide vital information that can be used for maximizing the efficiency of sonochemical reactions. For further information please visit the Sonochemistry research page. Selected Publications:
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