A common supersolid low-density skin sliperizing ice and toughening water surface

TL;DR

This paper reveals that water and ice skins exhibit supersolidity due to molecular polarization effects, which enhance their elasticity, viscosity, and hydrophobicity, explaining their slipperiness and toughness.

Contribution

It uncovers the molecular mechanisms behind the supersolidity and unique surface properties of water and ice skins, linking vibrational frequency and electron polarization.

Findings

Water and ice skins share the same vibrational frequency of 3450 cm-1.

Surface polarization enhances elasticity and viscosity of skins.

The skins' properties explain water's hydrophobicity and ice's slipperiness.

Abstract

Skins of water and ice share the same attribute of supersolidity characterized by the identical H-O vibration frequency of 3450 cm-1. Molecular undercoordination and inter-electron-pair repulsion shortens the H-O bond and lengthen the O:H nonbond, leading to a dual process of nonbonding electron polarization. This relaxation-polarization process enhances the dipole moment, elasticity,viscosity, thermal stability of these skins with 25% density loss, which is responsible for the hydrophobicity and toughness of water skin and for the slippery of ice.