2024/08/31 by Ching-Hsiu Chen, Wei‐Hao Hsu, Chen, Ching-Hsiu +9
Earth and Planetary Sciences · Environmental Science · #FOS: Physical sciences #Geological Studies and Exploration #Materials Science (cond-mat.mtrl-sci) #Methane Hydrates and Related Phenomena
paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.2409.00415
openalex publication_date 2024/08/31 · openalex created_date 2024/09/29 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/01
Water hydrogen bonding is extremely versatile; approximately 20 ice structures and several types of clathrate hydrate structures have been identified. These crystalline water structures form at temperatures below room temperature and/or at high pressure. We used transmission electron microscopy to study a new crystalline water structure in a clathrate state that is prepared by sandwiching gas-supersaturated water between graphene layers under ambient conditions. In this clathrate state, water molecules form a three-dimensional hydrogen bonding network that encloses gas-filled cages 2-4 nm in size. We derived the crystalline water structure by recording and analyzing electron diffraction patterns and performing first-principles calculations. The structure consists purely of pentagonal rings and has a topology similar to that of water ice XVII. The study proposed a mechanism for the formation of the clathrate state. The present results improve the understanding of interactions among water and small nonpolar molecules and offer novel insights into the local structures of ambient liquid water.