ICE CRYSTAL DYNAMICS IN THE NANOCOMPOSITE NETWORKS

Water is abundant in every day's life and critically useful in many biological systems and in water-based mechanical devices. Freeze-thaw process is one of the inevitable dynamics especially for the materials working at sub-zero conditions where ice crystal changes the physical property of the whole crystal-embedded composite systems. However, still many phenomena have not been explained in terms of crystal control methodology in conjunction with mechanical properties. In this study, ice crystal dynamics occurring in network systems has been discussed. Small size of network structure contributes to crystal growth inhibition especially time-dependent recrystallization. This could be explained by nano-scale confinement effect at the initial nucleation/growth stage, controlling size and shape of ice crystallites. The physical property of crystal embedded-nanocomposite is dominated by ice crystal behaviors over the network. This includes freezing point depression, frequency-dependent and temperature-dependent storage modulus changes and cooling rate- dependent dynamics. This study sheds light on ice crystal control methodology which would be useful in various materials and machines working under freeze-thaw dynamics.