Dynamics of bubble collapse near an armored free surface

Armored surfaces refer to a liquid–air interface covered by a layer of floating particles. This paper examines the collapse dynamics of a bubble generated by an electric spark near such an armored surface. The collapse of the bubble near the armored surface is similar to that near a free surface, with the formation of spraying liquid film, upward liquid jet in the forms of water dome, water spike, and water skirt with the change of the vertical distance (l) from the bubble center to the liquid surface. However, on the armored surface, we also observe particle splash and solid–liquid mixture splash. We confirm that the particle splash occurs due to the transfer of shock wave energy during bubble expansion and collapse. The splashing velocity (v_p) and the distance (d₀) from the bubble center to the particle follow the scaling law of v_p ∼ l/d₀². Additionally, we discuss the motion of the upward liquid jet and downward vortex ring. We find that the armored surface only affects the initial velocity of the jet without affecting its acceleration. This can be attributed to the additional energy dissipation caused by the splash formed on the armored surface. In contrast, the trajectory of the vortex ring remains unaffected by the armored surface. This study provides valuable insights into the dynamics of bubble collapse near an armored surface and highlights the role of floating particles in altering the behavior of liquid jets.