Scientist studies self-forming, spiral nano ice
The discovery of self-forming, spiral nano-ice could help planetary scientists predict the kind of ice they might look for in extreme conditions on Mars or the moons of Jupiter. (Andy Weisner)
Not all ice is the same.
Using supercomputers, chemist Xiao Zeng simulates how water molecules behave under extreme conditions. His computer model tests how water molecules freeze inside tiny, hollow wires called carbon nanotubes. The results are surprising.
Xiao Zeng: We find that under high pressure the water molecules can freeze or self assemble into very interesting helical forms, or spiral forms, so it’s a kind of spiral ice which is different from the ice we predicted a few years ago.
Zeng said his discovery of self–forming, spiral nano–ice could help predict the kind of ice planetary scientists might look for in extreme conditions on Mars or the moons of Jupiter. They could also help scientists learn how to use nanotubes and other nano–scale structures to produce useful synthetic materials.
Zeng said his computer models could prove useful in medical science, too. Like ice in carbon nanotubes, proteins inside the body take shape in very small, pressurized spaces. Using computerized simulations to better understand how proteins form could help researchers learn more about their role in causing Alzheimer’s and other diseases.
Thanks today to the National Science Foundation.
Dr. Zeng also said, “We learn from nature because the normal ice we call ice 1, freezes under normal conditions. But actually there are about 15 forms of ice discovered by human beings over the past century. And 13 of those ices are existing under high pressure so they behave, they have different structure from normal ice under high pressure. So there’s kind of a diversity, or the diverse structures of ice under high pressure is something we can learn from.”
Our thanks to:
Xiao Zeng
University of Nebraska–Lincoln
Certainly someone has referred to “Ice-9” of K.V. fame.:-)
Can the unspecified ice form above, or any of the forms, other than Ice-1, exist in a natural environment (deep sea or high altitude, or other natural temperatures)?
Is there somewhere to find more on these forms or the use of nanotupules as pressure containers?
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