Curvature-dependent adsorption of surfactants in water nanodroplets and nanobubbles

The outcomes reveal a systematic dependence of adsorption on curvature, which is enhanced at droplet interfaces and reduced at bubble interfaces, with the effect becoming more pronounced for surfactants with longer alkyl tails. We attribute this curvature-dependent behavior to two key mechanisms: Laplace pressure and curvature-dependent surface tension. The breakdown of these contributions allows us to obtain a quantitative understanding and to predict the influence of curvature on adsorption.