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Communication: Growing room temperature ice with graphene
Albert Verdaguer1, Juan José Segura, Laura López-Mir
1Centre d'Investigació en Nanociència i Nanotecnologia, CIN2 (CSIC-ICN), Edifici CM7, Campus UAB, E-08193 Barcelona, Catalunya, Spain. averdaguer@cin2.cat
The Journal of Chemical Physics
|April 6, 2013
Summary
Hexagonal ice forms at room temperature when water is confined between graphene and BaF2 surfaces. Lattice mismatch is critical for ice formation, as shown by its absence on CaF2 surfaces.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Physical Chemistry
- Surface Science
Background:
- Water's phase behavior is highly sensitive to confinement and substrate interactions.
- Understanding ice formation under non-standard conditions is crucial for various scientific fields.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the formation of hexagonal ice at room temperature under specific confinement conditions.
- To determine the role of substrate symmetry and lattice matching in interfacial water ordering.
Main Methods:
- Confinement of water between graphene sheets and hexagonal BaF2 (111) surfaces.
- Controlled humidity conditions at room temperature.
- Comparative analysis with isostructural CaF2 (111) surfaces.
Main Results:
- Formation of ordered hexagonal ice at room temperature was observed.
- Pseudoepitaxy between interfacial water and the BaF2 substrate was identified as a critical factor.
- Ice formation was absent on CaF2 surfaces, correlating with a larger lattice mismatch.
Conclusions:
- Graphene/BaF2 interfaces promote hexagonal ice formation at room temperature.
- Small lattice mismatch and hexagonal symmetry of the substrate are essential for interfacial water ordering into ice.
- Substrate-water interactions significantly influence water's phase transitions.
