Work

Water becomes a supercooled complex fluid below freezing temperatures under isochoric conditions

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Cooling water below 0 ∘ C under constant volume (isochoric) conditions is experimentally straightforward. However, we found that the dynamic response of the constrained cooled liquid is far from trivial. First, after a slight supercooled state, normal ice (Ih) forms heterogeneously on the walls of the container, causing, as a result of its inherent expansion, a sudden increase in pressure. Second, being a fragile and brittle solid, the formed ice cannot withstand such pressure and breaks into countless fragments of varying sizes, some of them colloidal ones. Third, as it cools further, bulk water enters a second supercooled state, becomes denser, and eventually forms Ice III. The dynamics of these fascinating behaviors were analyzed by conducting joint thermodynamic and optical experiments based on coherent-gated light scattering.

Source: Journal of Molecular Liquids

DOI: 10.1016/j.molliq.2025.129080

Authors: Omar A. Arrieta-Guerrero, Daniela N. Díaz-Zepeda, H. Mercado-Uribe, José R. Guzmán-Sepúlveda, J.C. Ruiz-Suárez

Institution: Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional

Language: English

Topic: Material Dynamics and Properties

Subfield: Materials Chemistry

Field: Materials Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $3,480

Funder: Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología