Evaluation of the Impact Load Acting on a Solid Surface Due to the Collapse of a Laser-Generated Bubble

Abstract This study investigates the shockwaves of laser-generated vapor bubbles and the resulting impact loads on multiple solid specimens using a piezoelectric polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) sensor. Calibration of the sensor to estimate force values based on emitted voltage is conducted through a ball drop test. Key parameters in the sensor calibration include material type (metals and polymers) and the initial drop height in the ball drop test. The laser-generated vapor bubbles emit shockwaves propagating to solid specimens during the initiation and collapse phases. The experimental parameters include the material type and the standoff distance of the vapor bubble. The acoustic impedance of the solid specimens influences the impact load received. The standoff distance of around 3 indicated the maximum impact loads for aluminum and polyethylene, but polyamide and antistatic PET indicated a plateau over 2. In our previous numerical study, we observed a phenomenon in which the yield of the material occurred due to bubble collapses, and the impact load became constant in polymer materials. We considered that a similar yielding phenomenon occurred in this study.