36 



to such sharp phase- interfaces as those of water and mica. Such 

 structures can, and probably are formed around any dissolved 

 molecule. Frank and Evans introduced the picturesque expression 

 of "iceberg," trying to express that molecules, dissolved in water 

 are surrounded by such structures. The measurements of Frank 

 and Evans show that not only electropolar molecules, but also 

 apolar molecules surround themselves with such icebergs. As de- 

 scribed lately in an attractive article by Buswell and Rhodenbush, 

 the ice formed around homoiopoiar molecules is different from 

 common hexagonal ice, having a very loosely packed cubic lattice 

 structure, their formation causing thus a strong expansion. "This 

 behaviour (of water) was called to the attention of chemists in a 

 dramatic fashion by certain surprising natural phenomena. One 

 was the fact that corn sometimes showed frost effects when the 

 temperature was 40°F, well above freezing. Another was the dis- 

 covery that pipelines carrying natural gas often became clogged 

 with a slushy 'snow,* containing water, at temperatures as high as 

 68 degrees F." The formation of ice above the freezing point is 

 thus not a theory. It is crude fact which causes trouble in industry. 



We can thus suppose water structures to be built around dis- 

 solved molecules, structures which may have a different crystalline 

 structure according to the polar or nonpolar nature of the atomic 

 groups on that molecule and the mutual distance of these groups 

 in relation to the lattice constants of the different possible water 

 crystals. It is believable that different spacings promote different 

 crystal forms or, if unfavorable, inhibit order and lattice forma- 

 tion. Possibilities are rich, relations complex. 



If structures or molecules are surrounded by "icebergs" then we 

 can expect that the dimensions and the nature of the icebergs will 

 decide how far these molecules can approach one another and also 

 whether a dissolved molecule can pass a pore in an "ice-covered" 

 membrane. Two "icebergs" having an identical ice structure might 

 fuse, allowing a close approach, while the opposite may hold for 

 ices of different nature. 



