Structural Approach to Ice Growth (and Nucleation) in Liquid Water

Crystal growth is commonly conceptualized with a simple structural model, the stacking of molecules or atoms represented by cubes, or sometimes spheres. The growth process is by adding single molecules at kinks in steps on otherwise flat (“smooth”) interfaces, or anywhere on surfaces that are thermodynamically “rough.” However, the strong preference for tetrahedral bonding between water molecules dictates the much more open structure of ice (1h)...