Electronucleation for Rapid and Controlled Formation of Hydrates

Nucleation of hydrates involves very long induction times (hours to days), which is a challenge for applications requiring rapid hydrate formation. This study introduces and analyzes the use of electric fields to accelerate and control hydrate nucleation. Experiments with tetrahydrofuran (THF) hydrates reveal that the induction time can be reduced by 100×, by applying an electrical potential across the precursor solution. The induction time rapidly decreases with increasing voltages and is on the order of a few minutes at 100 V. It is seen that voltage-induced current flow in the solution is responsible for electronucleation. Very low currents (microamperes) are sufficient for electronucleation. Nucleation promotion can be attributed to phenomena associated with bubble formation due to chemical reactions at the electrodes. Overall, this study lays the foundation for the control and promotion of nucleation by electric fields, and enables possibilities for instantaneous nucleation.