Cutting Ice: Nanowire Regelation

: Hynninen T, Heinonen V, Dias CL, Karttunen M, Foster AS, Ala-Nissila T

Publisher: AMER PHYSICAL SOC

: 2010

: Physical Review Letters

: PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS

: PHYS REV LETT

: ARTN 086102

: 105

: 8

: 4

: 0031-9007

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.105.086102

Even below its normal melting temperature, ice melts when subjected to high pressure and refreezes once the pressure is lifted. A classic demonstration of this regelation phenomenon is the passing of a thin wire through a block of ice when sufficient force is exerted. Here we present a molecular-dynamics study of a nanowire cutting through ice to unravel the molecular level mechanisms responsible for regelation. In particular, we show that the transition from a stationary to a moving wire due to increased driving force changes from symmetric and continuous to asymmetric and discontinuous as a hydrophilic wire is replaced by a hydrophobic one. This is explained at the molecular level in terms of the wetting properties of the wire.