Water Freezes Into Glass at -135°C

Physicists have observed water transforming into a glassy state instead of ice at low temperatures, a phenomenon that was previously hidden due to the formation of ice crystals. Water typically forms ice crystals at temperatures as low as -45 degrees Celsius, but researchers have now found that it can transform into a glassy state at around -135 degrees Celsius.

The researchers used a novel technique to trap water molecules between lipid layers and track their behavior at sub-nanometer scales. They used a lipid matrix made of phytantriol to trap water molecules and prevent crystallization. The team, led by Raffaele Mezzenga at ETH Zurich, collaborated with scientists at the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) to map the structure of the water trapped within the lipid matrix using the Small Angle and Wide Angle X-ray Scattering (SAXS/WAXS) beamline.

Water covers about 70 percent of Earth's surface and comprises roughly 60 percent of the human body by mass, making it a crucial component of our planet and our bodies. Despite its importance, water remains scientifically anomalous, with its behavior at low temperatures not fully understood.

## Why it matters The discovery of water's glassy transition has significant implications for our understanding of water's behavior in different environments. In stratospheric clouds in polar climes, water can exist in a glassy state, and this phenomenon also helps cold-loving organisms prevent ice-crystal-induced cellular damage at low temperatures. The research provides new insights into the properties of water and its behavior in extreme conditions, which can have far-reaching consequences for various fields, including biology, chemistry, and materials science.

The researchers' findings, published in Nature Communications, demonstrate the power of innovative techniques in uncovering hidden phenomena in nature. By trapping water molecules between lipid layers, the team was able to observe the liquid-to-glass transition, which was previously obscured by the formation of ice crystals. This breakthrough opens up new avenues for research into the properties of water and its behavior in different environments.