Applied Sonochemistry: The Uses of Power Ultrasound in Chemistry and Processing

Power ultrasound has been used for many years in two specific industrial areas: cleaning and plastic welding. Over the last ten years an increasing interest has been shown in its potential for use over a much wider range of chemistry and processing which has been grouped together under the general title of sonochemistry. Most of these uses depend on the generation of acoustic cavitation in liquid media but this text, while underlining the importance of the physics and mathematics of cavitation, mainly concentrates on applications of the technology. After an introduction to the topic and some historical background to the uses of power ultrasound the general principles of acoustic cavitation are explored…