Salt creeping as a self-amplifying crystallization process

Qazi, Mohsin; Salim, Herish; Doorman, Christoffel; Jambon-Puillet, Etienne; Shahidzadeh, Noushine

doi:10.1126/sciadv.aax1853

Cited by 51 publications

(38 citation statements)

References 25 publications

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“…Previously, wetting the upper molecular layers of a silicon (1,0,0) surface with water was simulated (Barisik and Beskok, 2013;Ozcelik et al, 2020); the researchers observed the water spread beyond the drop boundary. The nanometre-sized crystals observed centimetres away from the creeping front were considered a proof of precursor nanofilms (Qazi et al, 2019). Our findings not only confirm such nanofilms in CsCl solutions but also reveal their formation around salty ices at temperatures above the salts' eutectics.…”

Section: Precursor Nanofilm Formed Below 0 °Csupporting

confidence: 74%

“…5i). Evidently, a precursor nanofilm (De Gennes, 1985) of the liquid brine (which could not be detected with the ESEM) had spread over the silicon surface to these remote locations, and, after the evaporation of water from the brine, the small salt crystals emerged (Qazi et al, 2019). A similar behaviour characterizes the non-seeded and seeded samples below the Teu, as presented in chapter 3.2.5.…”

Section: Sublimation Above the Teumentioning

confidence: 69%

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Sublimation of frozen CsCl solutions in ESEM: determining the number and size of salt particles relevant to sea-salt aerosols

Vetráková

Neděla²,

Runštuk³

et al. 2022

Preprint

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Abstract. We identified the factors that, during the sublimation of a frozen CsCl solution, are important in generating fine salt particles as a possible source of salt aerosol. The number, size, and structure of the particles that remain after ice sublimation were investigated with respect to the concentration of the salt in the sample, the freezing method, and the sublimation temperature. The last-named aspect is evidently of primary importance for the preference of fine salt crystals over a large compact piece of salt. Independently of the concentration and freezing method tested, the sublimation of the frozen samples above the eutectic temperature (Teu) yielded a large compact piece of salt, namely, an improbable source of aerosol particles. Small salt particles that might be a source of atmospheric aerosols were formed predominantly at the temperatures below Teu, and their structures strongly depended on the concentration of the salt. For example, the sublimation of those samples that exhibited less than 8 psu (0.05 M) often produced small aerosolizable isolated particles readily able to be windblown. Conversely, the sublimation of 78 psu (0.5 M) samples led to the formation of relatively stable and largely interconnected salt structures. Presumably, our findings have important implications because the formed salt particles may assume the role of cloud condensation nuclei and ice-nucleating particles, affect polar atmospheric radiative forcing, and facilitate heterogeneous atmospheric chemistry.

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Section: Precursor Nanofilm Formed Below 0 °Csupporting

confidence: 74%

Section: Sublimation Above the Teumentioning

confidence: 69%

Sublimation of frozen CsCl solutions in ESEM: determining the number and size of salt particles relevant to sea-salt aerosols

Vetráková

Neděla²,

Runštuk³

et al. 2022

Preprint

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“…4). One can wonder whether this surface colonization process has to do with salt creeping, 20 i.e., seen here as the lateral development of the efflorescence from the previous efflorescence salt crystals or simply results from crystallization in new pores at the ceramic surface, as in Ref. 19, for instance, or a mix of both processes.…”

Section: A Salt Crystallization Dynamics: the Efflorescence Exclusion Zonementioning

confidence: 99%

Combined wicking and evaporation of NaCl solution with efflorescence formation: The efflorescence exclusion zone

2020

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An experiment combining wicking and evaporation of a NaCl solution and leading to the formation of salt efflorescence is presented. The experiment shows that efflorescence develops over the porous medium surface exposed to evaporation except in the bottom region of the sample. This region remains free of efflorescence and is called the exclusion zone. It is shown that the exclusion zone extent depends on the solute concentration in the bottom reservoir. A model is developed, and it helps understand the exclusion phenomenon. The arch shape of the exclusion zone upper boundary is explained and modeled. The study is also seen as a successful test for the model of efflorescence growth driven by evaporation and salt precipitation presented in a previous study. The modeling approach is expected to help develop better models of salt transport with crystallization at the surface of porous media in relation with soil salinization issues or the salt weathering of porous materials.

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“…For solutes of low solubility, the patterns left by evaporative crystallization are similar to “coffee-ring” patterns formed by evaporation of a particle-laden drops ( 11 , 12 , 16 ). However, when the dissolved mass is excessive, three-dimensional crystal structures may arise ( 17 , 18 ). In particular, when a drop containing saturated sodium chloride is evaporated on a hydrophobic surface, “salt globes” form because of the propensity of crystals to nucleate at the air/water interface ( 18 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Crystal critters: Self-ejection of crystals from heated, superhydrophobic surfaces

McBride

Girard

2021

Sci. Adv.

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Mineral or crystal fouling (the accumulation of precipitants on a material and damage associated with the same) is a pervasive problem in water treatment, thermoelectric power production, and numerous industrial processes. Growing efforts have focused on materials engineering strategies (e.g., superhydrophobicity) to prevent fouling. Here, we present a curious phenomenon in which crystals self-eject from heated, nanotextured superhydrophobic materials during evaporation of saline water drops. These crystal structures (crystal critters) have exceedingly minimal contact with the substrate and thus pre-empt crystal fouling. This unusual phenomenon is caused by cooperative effects of crystallization, evaporative flows, and nanoscale effects. The temperature dependence of the critter effect can be predicted using principles of mass conservation, and we demonstrate that self-propulsion can be generated via temperature gradients, which promote asymmetric growth. The insights on confinement-driven evaporative crystallization can be applied for antifouling by self-ejection of mineral foulants, for drop-based fluidic machines, or even for self-propulsion.

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Salt creeping as a self-amplifying crystallization process

Cited by 51 publications

References 25 publications

Sublimation of frozen CsCl solutions in ESEM: determining the number and size of salt particles relevant to sea-salt aerosols

Sublimation of frozen CsCl solutions in ESEM: determining the number and size of salt particles relevant to sea-salt aerosols

Combined wicking and evaporation of NaCl solution with efflorescence formation: The efflorescence exclusion zone

Crystal critters: Self-ejection of crystals from heated, superhydrophobic surfaces

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