Freezing-nucleation in aqueous solutions of clathrate forming gases

Michael T. Reischel

doi:10.3402/tellusb.v36i2.14877

Freezing-nucleation in aqueous solutions of clathrate forming gases

Tellus B: Chemical and Physical Meteorology

Volume 36 (1984): Issue 2

By: Michael T. Reischel

Open Access

|Jan 1984

Abstract

Experiments were performed to determine the extent to which the nucleating abilities of artificial and natural freezing nuclei are influenced by the presence of clathrate-forming gases dissolved in water. Changes in the supercooling requirement of water saturated with argon, or propane were determined for several nucleant-gas combinations using the drop freezing technique. The nucleants responded differently indicating that the influence of these clathrate-forming gases on heterogeneous freezing nucleation is not due to changes in the bulk water structure, but results from modifications at the nucleant-embryo interface. The measurements revealed an irreversible improvement in nucleating ability for some combinations and demonstrated that these gases can reduce the supercooling requirement of certain nuclei by as much as 3°C.

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