Nucleation in emulsified supercooled water

Abstract

A calorimetric technique was used to measure the nucleation rate of ice in supercooled ${\mathrm{H}}_2$O and ${\mathrm{D}}_2$O droplets in oil emulsions. The temperature dependence of the nucleation rate was determined for a wide range of temperatures and droplet volumes with use of emulsions stabilized by two different surfactants. The results are used to test quantitatively the theory of homogeneous nucleation for emulsified samples of water. The nucleation-rate measurements are also discussed in the context of theories which predict singularities in the thermodynamic functions of supercooled water.