How lipids suppress cavitation in biological fluids

Šako, Marin (author), Kanduč, Matej (author)

Hypothesis: Cavitation in water under tension is often initiated at nanoscale hydrophobic surface defects that stabilize preexisting nanobubbles. We hypothesize that amphiphilic molecules, such as polar lipids, can adsorb onto these defects and suppress cavitation by removing nanobubble nucleation sites. Simulations: To test this mechanism, we performed atomistic molecular dynamics simulations in combination with classical nucleation theory to model lipid bilayers and monolayer coatings at hydrophobic surfaces containing nanoscale pits and to investigate their response to applied negative pressures. Findings: We find that lipids readily adsorb onto hydrophobic surfaces, conform to nanoscale features, and eliminate bubble-hosting cavities. This passivation shifts the cavitation-limiting step from nanobubble expansion at defects to rupture of lipid bilayers, which exhibit much higher cavitation resistance. These results provide a molecular basis for how amphiphilic additives enhance the stability of aqueous liquids against cavitation, even in the presence of unavoidable surface imperfections. This mechanism also offers a physically grounded explanation for how vascular plants sustain sap transport under substantial negative pressures despite structural heterogeneities in their water-conducting vessels.

• Language: English
• Keywords: lipid monolayer, lipid bilayer, bubbles, cavitation, molecular dynamics simulation
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: FMF - Faculty of Mathematics and Physics
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2026
• Number of pages: 9 str.
• Numbering: Vol. 703, pt. 1, art. 139286
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-182773
• UDC: 532
• ISSN on article: 1095-7103
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2025.139286
• COBISS.SI-ID: 254592515
• Publication date in RUL: 22.05.2026

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Journal of colloid and interface science
• Shortened title: J. colloid interface sci.
• Publisher: Elsevier
• ISSN: 1095-7103
• COBISS.SI-ID: 527041561

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: fluidi, kavitacija, hidrodinamika

Projects

• Funder: ARIS - Slovenian Research and Innovation Agency
• Project number: P1-0055
• Name: Biofizika polimerov, membran, gelov, koloidov in celic

• Funder: ARIS - Slovenian Research and Innovation Agency
• Project number: J1-4382
• Name: Stabilnost bioloških tekočin pod natezno obremenitvijo