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Researchers have discovered that when water droplets freeze on surfaces, internal ice structures called "ice bridges" form and suspend within the droplet before complete solidification. These bridges grow predictably from the frozen base upward through the liquid portion of the droplet, and their formation can be controlled by adjusting surface properties and cooling conditions. The study reveals fundamental physics of how ice propagates through confined water volumes during freezing.
Why it matters
Understanding ice bridge formation could improve technologies ranging from aircraft de-icing systems to cryopreservation of biological samples. The ability to control internal ice structure formation may help prevent damage in applications where unwanted freezing occurs or optimize processes that require controlled crystallization.
Source: Growth and control of suspended ice bridges during sessile droplet freezing