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Updated: May 12, 2026

Ice Generation and the Heat and Mass Transfer Phenomena of Introducing Water to a Cold Bath of Brine
Published on: March 13, 2017
Grain boundary melting in ice.
E S Thomson1, Hendrik Hansen-Goos, J S Wettlaufer
1Department of Chemistry & Molecular Biology, Atmospheric Science, University of Gothenburg, 41296 Gothenburg, Sweden. erik.thomson@chem.gu.se
Grain boundary premelting in water ice is influenced by attractive and repulsive forces. Adding dopant ions increases the premelted film thickness, demonstrating control over ice melting behavior.
Area of Science:
- Physical Chemistry
- Materials Science
- Surface Science
Background:
- Grain boundaries in water ice are crucial for understanding its physical properties.
- Premelting at grain boundaries is a complex phenomenon influenced by various forces.
- Previous studies have not fully elucidated the interplay of forces governing premelting.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the mechanisms of grain boundary premelting in water ice.
- To determine the role of attractive and repulsive forces in premelting.
- To explore the effect of dopant ions on premelted film thickness.
Main Methods:
- Optical scattering techniques were employed to study grain boundary premelting.
- Experiments were conducted on water ice with varying electrolyte concentrations.
- Data analysis involved considering electrostatic interactions and colligative effects.
Main Results:
- Attractive polarization forces suppress grain boundary melting.
- Repulsive forces, including screened Coulomb interactions and colligative effects, enhance melting.
- Increasing electrolyte concentration leads to a thicker premelted film.
Conclusions:
- The premelted film thickness at water ice grain boundaries is controllable via electrolyte concentration.
- Both colligative effects and electrostatic interactions play significant roles in premelting.
- Understanding these forces is key to predicting ice behavior in various environments.
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