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Updated: Sep 27, 2025
08:01
A Microfluidic Approach for the Study of Ice and Clathrate Hydrate Crystallization
Published on: August 18, 2022
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Dynamics of Dendritic Ice Freezing in Confinement
James M Campbell1,2, Bjørnar Sandnes2, Eirik G Flekkøy1
1PoreLab, the Njord Center, Department of Physics, University of Oslo, N-0316 Oslo, Norway.
Crystal Growth & Design
|April 11, 2022
Summary
Confinement effects on ice crystal growth were studied. Ice dendrite speed was unaffected by glass plates but slightly slowed by plastic plates, suggesting substrate thermal properties influence growth.
Area of Science:
- Physics
- Materials Science
- Physical Chemistry
Background:
- Dendritic ice crystal growth is crucial in various natural and industrial processes.
- Understanding how confinement affects crystal growth dynamics is essential for controlling ice formation.
- Previous studies have explored ice growth, but the specific influence of confined geometries on dendrite propagation remains less understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of confinement on the propagation speed of dendritic ice growth.
- To determine if thermal properties of confining surfaces influence ice dendrite speed.
- To analyze changes in dendritic growth patterns under different confinement conditions.
Main Methods:
- High-speed photography was employed to capture dendritic ice growth.
- Experiments were conducted between parallel plates of varying materials (plastic, glass) and separations (17-135 μm).
- Ice growth was observed at sub-zero temperatures (-10.6 to -4.8 °C).
Main Results:
- No significant confinement effect on dendrite propagation speed was observed on glass surfaces.
- A slight decrease in dendrite propagation speed was detected between insulating plastic plates.
- A transition from curving to straight dendrite morphology was strongly correlated with the use of plastic substrates.
Conclusions:
- The thermal conductivity of confining surfaces plays a role in ice dendrite propagation speed.
- Insulating substrates may induce a measurable slowing of ice dendrite growth compared to conductive ones.
- Substrate material significantly influences the morphology of dendritic ice growth.
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