Controlled ice nucleation in microsized water droplet

Abstract

Controlled ice nucleation in a microsized water droplet was examined using a microdroplet suspension method. This method allows us to minimize the effect of the container wall and foreign particles. The influence of the water droplet volume on microdrop nucleation is examined quantitatively. It is found that at the microscale, the volume effect exerts a large influence on nucleation kinetics. This technique enabled us to quantify the effect of lysozyme on ice nucleation kinetics. It turns out that lysozyme promotes ice nucleation at relatively high supercoolings by decreasing the interfacial free energy between the nucleating phase and foreign particles. This quantitative measurement of the interfacial effect of additives (impurities) on ice nucleation kinetics will exert a significant impact on the research on the mechanism of antifreeze and nucleation promotion.