Less soluble bubble, surprisingly more stable

The rupture of surface bubbles governs aerosol generation and vapor transport in both natural and industrial systems. Classical models attribute bubble lifetime primarily to gravity-driven film drainage. More recently, solutal Marangoni stresses arising from compositional gradients have been shown to suppress drainage and extend lifetimes in miscible binary liquid films. However, these systems inherently involve fully soluble components, making it difficult to isolate the effects of low-solubility vapors. In this study, we identify a distinct mechanism: the solubility of inert condensable vapors alone can reverse Marangoni flow and thereby govern bubble stability. Using a single-bubble dispensing system on water, we show that highly soluble vapors (e.g., acetone) are absorbed into the liquid, inducing an outward Marangoni flow that accelerates drainage and shortens bubbles' lifetime. In contrast, poorly soluble vapors (e.g., MTBE) rapidly saturate the interface, suppressing further absorption and shifting the dominant flux toward evaporation. This reversal in the vapor flux direction drives an inward Marangoni flow, significantly delaying drainage and rupture. High-speed imaging further reveals that these long-lived bubbles rupture more violently, producing enhanced more aerosol generation. These findings could expand the classical framework to include vapor–liquid systems such as carbonated water, where solubility governs interfacial stability.