Microstructure of Water Sediments on Hydrophilic Surfaces
Yakhno TA, Sanin AG, Yakhno VG
Federal Research Center Institute of Applied Physics of the Russian Academy of Sciences (IAP RAS),
46 Ulyanov Street, Nizhny Novgorod 603950, Russia
Correspondence: yakhta13@gmail.com
Keywords: NMR; Raman Spectroscopy; Hydrogen bond; Water; Amyloid; Meditation
Submitted: December 7, 2022
Reviewed: February 12, 2023
Accepted: March 20, 2023
Published: May 8, 2023
Abstract
In the modern world, the focus of natural science research thought has shifted mainly to the molecular level, including the study of water. Water is considered as a mixture of interacting H2O molecules and their clusters based on the data of molecular dynamics, neutron, and X-ray scattering. In this case, a huge layer of information is lost related to the composition of real water, its microstructure and behavior. The aim of our study was to follow the phase transformations of hydrated liquid crystal water during the evaporation of free water using optical microscopy. We observed a panoramic picture of a cascade of interrelated phase transitions of distilled water and its microdispersed phase — sodium chloride (NaCl) microcrystals surrounded by a thick layer of hydrated liquid crystal water. Incubation of a glass slide in water for two days was accompanied by adhesion of the microdispersed phase to the glass surface. During the free evaporation of distilled water from a Petri dish, erosion of hydration shells, dissolution of NaCl microcrystals, and further recrystallization with the formation of large monolithic crystals and traces of non-drying water were observed. However, there are still questions that do not yet have clear answers. This work is intended to supplement our knowledge in the field of phase transitions of water during its evaporation from hydrophilic surfaces, which can be of not only theoretical, but also practical importance in, for example, the operation of water supply networks and water purification systems.