Skip to main content

Ice 0: Researchers Discover a New Mechanism for Ice Formation!


 

Researchers from the Institute of Industrial Science at The University of Tokyo have unveiled a new mechanism for ice formation, shedding light on the process by which water droplets freeze.

 
This discovery centers on a rare form of ice, known as ice 0, which plays a crucial role in the formation of ice crystals in supercooled water.


Ice comes in over 20 different varieties, each forming under specific conditions of pressure and temperature.


The common form of ice we use to chill our drinks is called ice I.


However, researchers in Japan have now identified another type of ice, ice 0, which acts as a seed for ice crystal formation in supercooled water.


In a study published in Nature Communications, the researchers demonstrated that ice formation near the surface of liquid water can start from tiny crystal precursors with a structure similar to ice 0.


These structures cause a water droplet to freeze near its surface rather than at its core, a finding that resolves a longstanding puzzle in the field of ice nucleation.


Ice nucleation typically occurs heterogeneously, meaning it starts at a solid surface, such as the container holding the water.


However, this new research reveals that ice crystallization can also occur just below the water's surface, where it meets the air.
Here, the ice nucleates around small precursors with a ring-shaped structure characteristic of ice 0.


Lead author Gang Sun explains, "Simulations have shown that a water droplet is more likely to crystallize near the free surface under isothermal conditions.
This resolves a longstanding debate about whether crystallization occurs more readily on the surface or internally.


"Ice 0 precursors have a structure very similar to supercooled water, allowing water molecules to crystallize more easily.
These precursors form spontaneously due to the negative pressure effects caused by the surface tension of water.

 
Once crystallization begins, structures similar to ice 0 quickly transform into the more familiar ice I.Senior author Hajime Tanaka highlights the broad implications of this study, noting that understanding the mechanism of surface crystallization of water could significantly impact various fields, including climate studies and food sciences, where water crystallization plays a critical role.


This research offers valuable insights into meteorology, as ice formation via ice 0-like precursors may significantly affect small water droplets in clouds. Additionally, the findings have potential applications in technology, ranging from food science to air conditioning.


#UniversityofTokyo #ChemistryAnalyticalChemistry
#ChemistryMaterialsScience
#Nanotechnology #Physics #Earth #Astronomy & #Space
#Chemistry
#Biology
#OtherSciences

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

How to Conduct Audience Research For SEO:A Simplified Guide!

To excel in SEO, understanding what your audience searches for and why is crucial. Audience research unveils the intent behind search queries, helping you align strategies with user needs. This approach can uncover search behaviors, map audience intent, and identify SEO opportunities, even with limited resources. Traditional Audience Research: Methods and Challenges Traditional audience research focuses on demographic, psychographic, and behavioral insights to build audience personas. It often involves: Surveys: To gather customer feedback. Focus Groups and Interviews: To understand audience preferences and behaviors. However, as advertising pioneer David Ogilvy noted, traditional research can be flawed because people often don’t act as they say. Tools like Similarweb, Audiense, and Brandwatch can assist in audience segmentation but may not fully capture search behavior or intent. A Better Approach: Audience Research for SEO SEO-focused audience research analyzes search behavior to unc...
Post a Comment
Read more

How Often Should You Blog? A Guide to Ideal Posting Frequency

Blogging consistently is key to keeping your audience engaged and growing your reach. However, just having a blog isn’t enough. To attract traffic, establish your brand, or generate leads, you need a steady flow of fresh, valuable content. But how often should you post to get results? Here’s the answer: there’s no universal number of posts per week that’s perfect for every blog. Finding your ideal blogging frequency depends on your niche, audience size, content quality, and your goals. Here’s how to determine what’s right for you. --- Key Factors for Deciding Blog Frequency 1. Goals and Audience Define your primary goal: brand awareness, thought leadership, or sales? Different goals may require different paces. Understand your audience’s preferences. A tech guide blog may thrive with in-depth, less frequent posts, while a news blog benefits from regular updates. 2. Blog Age and Maturity Newer blogs need frequent, high-quality posts to establish a presence. As the blog matures and gains...
Post a Comment
Read more

The Man Who Invented The "Psychopath"?

The Man Who Invented the “Psychopath”? Hervey Cleckley, an influential psychiatrist, is often credited with shaping modern understandings of psychopathy, even though his original intent was to help rather than stigmatize those affected. His 1941 work, The Mask of Sanity, was pivotal, as it introduced the concept of the psychopath as a specific personality type with 16 distinct traits. Cleckley described individuals who seemed outwardly rational but exhibited shallow emotions, lacked empathy, and engaged in destructive behaviors, though often without malice. Cleckley’s perspective was initially sympathetic; he saw these individuals as “forgotten” by psychiatry—people who needed understanding and treatment. However, as psychopathy entered the public lexicon, the term was quickly associated with malice, violence, and even inhumanity. Cleckley’s nuanced portrait of the psychopath was adapted by later researchers like Robert Hare, who created the widely used Psychopathy Checklist, a t...
Post a Comment
Read more