This paper develops the theoretical concept of a bubston, a stable gas bubble that exists in pure water and in electrolyte water solutions in equilibrium with their gaseous environment. A theoretical model of ion adsorption on a water surface is proposed and used to quantitatively describe the double electric layer that forms. These results also enable a thermodynamic description of a bubston structure in the water/gaseous environment system to be performed. It is shown that for certain temperatures and certain concentrations of dissolved impurity ions the development of such a structure is a first order phase transition. The unique role of helium as a gaseous environment in the context under study is discussed: in this case a bubston structure does not appear whatever the initial ion concentration, and the solubility of helium itself increases with increasing temperature. The mechanism of formation of experimentally observed bubcton clusters is discussed.

Keywords: stable gas bubbles, thermodynamic equilibrium systems, ionic adsorption at the water interface, double electric layer, first order phase transition PACS: 05.20.−y, 05.70.Np, 61.20.Qg (all) DOI: 10.3367/UFNe.2016.05.037796 URL: https://ufn.ru/en/articles/2016/9/b/ 000391228000002 2-s2.0-85006097298 2016PhyU...59..846B Citation: Bunkin N F, Bunkin F V "Bubston structure of water and electrolyte water solutions" Phys. Usp. 59 846–865 (2016) BibTexBibNote ® (generic)BibNote ® (RIS)MedlineRefWorks Received: 3rd, March 2016, accepted: 24th, May 2016 Оригинал: Бункин Н Ф, Бункин Ф В «Бабстонная структура воды и водных растворов электролитов» УФН 186 933–952 (2016); DOI: 10.3367/UFNr.2016.05.037796