Salts retard ice crystal growth in supercooled droplets during recalescence
Phys. Rev. Fluids 10, 063605 – Published 25 June, 2025
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/mt89-z2jw
Abstract
Salts dissolved in water droplets are observed to remarkably retard the ice crystal growth during recalescence via high-speed imaging. This retardation effect can be 98.8% for a 1.00 mol/l magnesium chloride solution compared to pure water, and varies with both salt concentrations and types. The underlying mechanism is attributed to the reductions in water diffusivity and active crystal growth site caused by the presence of salts, which decreases the amount of unhydrated water. A modified Vogel-Fulcher-Tamman equation is thereby developed to quantify the reduction in diffusivity, accurately representing data for various salt types and concentrations. This equation is further integrated into the Wilson-Frenkel model, providing a modified equation that effectively captures the observed recalescence retardation in salty water.
