Phys.org July 26, 2024 The role of the free surface of water in nucleation process remains unclear. Researchers in Japan investigated the microscopic freezing process using molecular dynamics simulations and found that the free surface assisted ice nucleation through an unexpected mechanism. The surface-induced negative pressure enhanced the formation of local structures with a ring topology characteristic of Ice 0-like symmetry, and promoted ice nucleation despite the symmetry differing from ordinary ice crystals. Unlike substrate-induced nucleation via water-solid interactions that occurs directly on the surface, this negative-pressure-induced mechanism promoted ice nucleation slightly inward the surface. Their findings provided a molecular-level […]
Tag Archives: Ice formation
Researchers advance insights into cause of ripples on icicles
Science Daily December 5, 2022 Icicles that have grown from slightly impure water develop ripples around their circumference. The ripples have a near-universal wavelength and are thought to be the result of a morphological instability. Researchers in Canada used laboratory-grown icicles and various species of impurities, including fluorescent dye, to show that a certain fraction of the impurities remains trapped inside the icicle, forming inclusions within the ice. The inclusions were organized into chevron patterns aligned with the peaks of the ripples. Within the chevrons, there was a substructure of crescent-shaped structures. They also examined the crystal grain structure of […]