Ice Nucleation by Micas

Abstract

Abstract A fluorine mica, fluorophlogopite, has been found to produce higher bulk water freezing temperature than many other nucleating agents including the parent hydroxyphlogopite and even silver iodide. It is the most efficient catalyst yet found in this Laboratory. Fluorophlogopite has an inherently large mismatch with ice crystals but the water cluster embryo is apparently sustained by an F-H-O hydrogen bond assisted by neighboring potassium ions.