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Structural transformation in supercooled water controls the crystallization rate of ice

Author

Listed:
  • Emily B. Moore

    (University of Utah)

  • Valeria Molinero

    (University of Utah)

Abstract

How water forms ice The various anomalous properties of water have puzzled scientists for decades, and many hypotheses have been put forward to explain their origin. One mystery is the question of what determines the lowest temperature to which water can be cooled before it freezes to ice. Rapid crystallization at low temperatures hampers experimental studies, and simulations are usually prohibitively costly in terms of computer time. Using a simple water model that allows demanding calculations, Emily Moore and Valeria Molinero now show that a sharp increase in the fraction of four-coordinated molecules in supercooled liquid water controls the rate and mechanism of ice formation. The structural change also results in a peak in the rate of crystallization at 225 K; below this temperature, ice nuclei form faster than liquid water can equilibrate. This finding explains the observed thermodynamic anomalies, and why homogeneous ice nucleation rates depend on the thermodynamics of water.

Suggested Citation

  • Emily B. Moore & Valeria Molinero, 2011. "Structural transformation in supercooled water controls the crystallization rate of ice," Nature, Nature, vol. 479(7374), pages 506-508, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:479:y:2011:i:7374:d:10.1038_nature10586
    DOI: 10.1038/nature10586
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    Cited by:

    1. Wei Wang & Shan Chen & Xuelong Liao & Rong Huang & Fengmei Wang & Jialei Chen & Yaxin Wang & Fei Wang & Huan Wang, 2023. "Regulating interfacial reaction through electrolyte chemistry enables gradient interphase for low-temperature zinc metal batteries," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-12, December.
    2. Meijia Qiu & Peng Sun & Kai Han & Zhenjiang Pang & Jun Du & Jinliang Li & Jian Chen & Zhong Lin Wang & Wenjie Mai, 2023. "Tailoring water structure with high-tetrahedral-entropy for antifreezing electrolytes and energy storage at −80 °C," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-10, December.

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