How It Works
The NanoBurstX Process
Chemically Initiated Ultrafine Bubbles, a fundamentally different approach to nanobubble generation that eliminates the constraints of mechanical systems.
Chemically Initiated Ultrafine Bubbles, a fundamentally different approach to nanobubble generation that eliminates the constraints of mechanical systems.
An ultrafine bubble (nanobubble) is an extremely small gas bubble suspended in liquid, typically less than 200 nm in diameter. At this scale, the bubble behaves more like a charged colloidal particle than a conventional bubble.
Size Range
Stability
Zeta Potential
Most nanobubble generation companies rely on mechanical methods: pressurized dissolution, hydrodynamic cavitation, membrane diffusion, or electrolysis. These approaches share common constraints, wide size distributions, limited agent compatibility, high energy requirements, equipment complexity, and bubbles that lack long-term stability.
NanoBurstX chemical initiation fundamentally changes the equation. By eliminating mechanical force from the generation process, NanoBurstX enables capabilities that conventional methods cannot deliver:
Configurable treatment agents. Mechanical methods generate gas-only bubbles. NanoBurstX creates bubbles with a mixed carrier gas and chemical vapor core, iodine, ammonium benzoate, and other agents, enabling applications that gas-only nanobubbles cannot address.
Sub-200 nm with verified stability. Mean ~66 nm with 192-hour persistence from a single infusion. Most mechanical methods produce wider distributions with shorter effective life.
Reduced oxygen bubble core. Prevents dissolve oxygen-driven corrosion risk, a significant advantage in metal piping, heat exchangers, and industrial fluid systems where oxygen nanobubbles accelerate degradation. Vapor Corrosion inhibitor induced nano bubble generation offers and enhanced anti-corrosive effect.
| Attribute | Conventional Methods | I 2 Air Fluid Innovation NanoBurstX Process |
|---|---|---|
| Formation speed | 10–60+ minutes | 2–3 minutes |
| Bubble size | 100–1000+ nm, inconsistent | Sub-200 nm mean, narrow uniformity |
| Concentration | Low-to-moderate, recirculation needed | High density in minutes |
| Equipment | Pumps, pressure vessels, cavitation units | Inline cartridge, minimal footprint |
| Energy | High consumption | Only needs airflow and minimal activation energy |
| Corrosion risk | Oxygen-based bubbles accelerate corrosion | Reduced oxygen core eliminates risk |
| Integration | Requires plumbing changes | Works as-is with existing systems |
| Validation | Limited long-term data | 7+ years, Navy, USDA, academia |
Chemical microbubbles shrink under Laplace pressure. Shrinking increases surface charge density from OH⁻ ion adsorption. Electrostatic repulsion balances surface tension, creating stable nanobubbles below 200 nm. This verified stabilization pathway distinguishes CIUB from conventional methods where stabilization is inconsistent.
Hydrophobic surfaces and pore interiors yield smaller, denser nanobubble populations. Chemical initiation reduces the cavitation, air flow, and energy requirements of conventional mechanical approaches, enabling rapid formation at scale.
The mechanism works through interfacial charge and electrostatic activity, not oxidizing biocidal action. High zeta potential repels charged foulants including biofilms, proteins, and minerals. Disrupts Ca²⁺/Mg²⁺ bridging in EPS. Prevents coalescence and extends bubble life.
Iodine-based: biofouling prevention, surface treatment, microbial inhibition. Benzoate salt-based: ferrous metal treatment, corrosion inhibition, heat transference improvement. These are not pesticides and leave no significant residue. Regulatory responsibility for any antimicrobial or biocidal claims rests with the licensee.
3-min iodine vapor infusion in DI water. NanoSight NTA confirmed tight, reproducible distribution. Earthman Labs.
Independent verification of zeta potential, size, and concentration. Confirmed reproducibility and tunability.
Benzoate nanobubbles from 2-min infusion. NanoSight FTLA confirmed 80–300 nm range. NSF Grant ECCS 1542081.
Near-identical NTA measurements 1.5 hours apart at 30 hours post-infusion. Confirmed repeatability.
Testing demonstrated rapid reductions in measurable microbial counts and biofilm presence, consistent with physical disruption and removal mechanisms associated with ultrafine bubble activity. Residual iodine levels remained below 50 ppb indicating no bulk chemical interaction.
Initial Conversation & NDA
Technical Fit Review
Pilot Planning
Integration
Scale & Knowledge Transfer
Commercial License
Licensed access to patented processes. Process documentation and parameters. Knowledge transfer and training. Advisory technical input during design and trials.
System and product design. Integration engineering. Performance validation and scaling. Regulatory pathways. Commercialization and go-to-market.
Regulatory responsibility rests entirely with the licensee. NanoBurstX makes no claims about antimicrobial, disinfectant, or pesticidal performance.
Four enforceable patents covering system design, gas delivery control, sensor architecture, and wastewater treatment. 1 enforceable patent covering biological platform designed to transform toxic metals, denude microplastic surfaces, and enhance microbial performance across wastewater, agriculture, and aquaculture. Active through 2037 to 2045.
Provisional application covering the core CIUB generation process. Advancing to formal utility filing. Priority date established for the central enabling technology.
Process parameters, chemical configurations, infusion protocols, and integration expertise. Not disclosed in any public filing. Independent of patent outcomes.
A licensee does not receive patent rights alone. They receive access to the full depth of I 2 Air Fluid Innovation’s proprietary knowledge, which is what makes the technology reproducible and commercially viable.