About Plastic Ice:
- Under normal conditions, water exists in three phases: solid (ice), liquid (water), and gas (vapour or steam). Unlike ordinary ice, Plastic Ice VII allows water molecules to rotate freely within a rigid crystalline structure.
- This phase was first predicted in 2008, but scientists have now provided solid evidence of its existence using advanced neutron-scattering experiments at the Institut Laue-Langevin in France.
- The unique structure of Plastic Ice VII forms at pressures exceeding three gigapascals (GPa), about 30,000 times atmospheric pressure on Earth, and temperatures above 450 Kelvin (177°C).
How Was It Discovered?
- Researchers used quasi-elastic neutron scattering (QENS) and diamond-anvil cells to study tiny high-pressure samples. These techniques allowed them to analyze molecular motion at the atomic scale.
- Their findings confirm that while Plastic Ice VII retains a crystalline structure, its molecules rotate in specific, preferred directions.
Significance of Plastic Ice Discovery:
- This discovery has profound implications for planetary science. Ice VII, an earlier known phase, exists deep inside the icy moons of Jupiter and Saturn, such as Callisto, Ganymede, and Titan.
- Now, the confirmation of Plastic Ice VII suggests that water in extreme environments behaves in even more complex ways than previously thought.
- Understanding this exotic ice could help scientists explore whether extreme planetary conditions could support life and how water influences the structure of celestial bodies.
- Scientists believe this discovery could lead to new insights in materials science, planetary exploration, and even the development of futuristic technologies that use extreme pressure conditions.
