Kobe University scientists led by ONISHI Hiroshi observe the exact shape of ice at the interface between ice and liquid for the first time.
Due to the complexity of the task, the researchers used creative solutions to observe the phenomenon including antifreeze and cooling the microscope system in a refrigerator to obtain accurate measurements.
They also experimented with different types of liquids to understand how they affect the surface of the ice. Since ice is surrounded by liquid most of the time, and therefore ice is slippery, the key to understanding this mysterious relationship between ice and liquid lies in zooming in on this layer of liquid (also on ice cream).
“Cool” study of ice
Scientists say they were the first to come up with the idea of ​​measuring ice in antifreeze with temperatures below 0°C. Since water appears to be present regardless, these conditions allowed the ice to remain solid, so they could study the phenomenon without the ice melting.
Still, according to the press release, the experiments required a significant amount of trial and error to finally arrive at an innovative solution.
“We found that we had to cool the entire microscopic system in a cold box, and it took some ingenuity to ensure that the atomic force microscope, a precision measuring instrument, would operate stably even at sub-zero temperatures,” the Kobe University researchers explain.
Ice without this liquid layer has “frost columns” about 20 nanometers high. In non-freezing conditions, it is flat with occasional steps one molecular layer high, according to the press release.
“We think that the flat surface is formed … by partial dissolution and recrystallization of the ice surface in 1-octanol liquid (antifreeze),” the researchers were quoted as saying.
They also experimented with liquids such as alcohol that changed the surface of the ice as well as its hardness. It communicates the importance of measuring this relationship between ice and liquid, even though it may seem superficial.
The study, they hope, will encourage further studies of the ice-liquid interface. For the Kobe researchers, however, their plan is clear.
“We expect to increase the microscope’s resolution to individual water molecules and use measurement methods other than atomic force microscopy. In this way, we hope to expand the range of possible applications of measuring the ice-antifreeze interface at the molecular level,” they conclude in the press release.
Liquid on ice phenomenon
The surface of the ice, regardless, is covered with liquid water, which turns out to be a phenomenon. Interestingly, scientists do not yet know why there is always a thin layer of water on the surface of the ice.
They suggested pressure: the weight of the skate on the ice that could cause it to melt. However, this does not fully explain why all ice has this slippery layer.
Since the transmutation between ice and water occurs rapidly, scientists have not yet observed the relationship between ice and water. Thanks to the modifications they made to the instruments and the process, the Kobe researchers were able to observe the nature of the ice like never before, and this will hopefully solve the mystery of why there is water on the surface of the ice.
The findings were published in Journal of Chemical Physics.
ABOUT THE EDITORIAL
Maria Mocerino Originally from LA, Maria Mocerino has been published in Business Insider, The Irish Examiner, The Rogue Mag, Chacruna Institute for Psychedelic Plant Medicines and now Interesting Engineering.