Electrofreezing of Liquid Ammonia

J Phys Chem Lett. 2022 Oct 27;13(42):9889-9894. doi: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.2c02576. Epub 2022 Oct 18.

Abstract

Here we prove that, in addition to temperature and pressure, another important thermodynamic variable permits the exploration of the phase diagram of ammonia: the electric field. By means of (path integral) ab initio molecular dynamics simulations, we predict that, upon applying intense electric fields on ammonia, the electrofreezing phenomenon occurs, leading the liquid toward a novel ferroelectric solid phase. This study proves that electric fields can generally be exploited as the access key to otherwise-unreachable regions in phase diagrams, unveiling the existence of new condensed-phase structures. Furthermore, the reported findings have manifold practical implications, from the safe storage and transportation of ammonia to the understanding of the solid structures this compound forms in planetary contexts.

MeSH terms

  • Ammonia* / chemistry
  • Electricity
  • Molecular Dynamics Simulation*
  • Temperature
  • Thermodynamics

Substances

  • Ammonia