INHIBITION OF FREEZING NUCLEI BY ADSORBED CONTAMINANTS

Abstract

An investigation was made of the effect of amines, ammonia, and alcohols on the nucleation of super-cooled water droplets by silver-iodide crystals. It was found that they inhibit the nucleation and that the vapor concentrations required for inhibition increase as droplet, temperatures decrease. Further, it was demonstrated that the adsorption of inhibitor on freezing nuclei is readily reversible and is, therefore, probably physical adsorption of the Van der Waals type, rather than an irreversible chemisorption producing surface complexes.