Evidence for liquid water during the high-density to low-density amorphous ice transition

• DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0812481106
• Publication Date: 2009-03-04T03:24:22Z
• Authors: Chae Un Kim; Buz Barstow; Mark W. Tate; Sol M. Gruner
• Keywords: Amorphous ice; Polyamorphism; Liquid water

Polymorphism of water has been extensively studied, but controversy still exists over the phase transition between high-density amorphous (HDA) and low-density (LDA) ice. We report behavior HDA ice inside high-pressure cryocooled protein crystals. Using X-ray diffraction, we demonstrate that intermediate states in temperature range from 80 to 170 K can be reconstructed as a linear combination LDA ice, suggesting first-order transition. found evidence for liquid state during based on crystallographic data. These observations open possibility induced by cryocooling is genuine glassy form liquid.