The phase diagram of high-pressure superionic ice

First-principles spectroscopy of aqueous interfaces using machine-learned electronic and quantum nuclear effects

Vibrational spectroscopy is a powerful approach to visualising interfacial phenomena. However, extracting structural and dynamical information from vibrational spectra is a challenge that requires first-principles simulations, including non-Condon and quantum nuclear effects. We address this challenge by developing a machine-learning enhanced first-principles framework to speed up predictive modelling of infrared, Raman, and sum-frequency generation spectra. Our approach uses machine learning potentials that encode quantum nuclear effects to generate quantum trajectories using simple molecular dynamics efficiently. In addition, we reformulate bulk and interfacial selection rules to express them unambiguously in terms of the derivatives of polarisation and polarisabilities of the whole system and predict these derivatives efficiently using fully-differentiable machine learning models of dielectric response tensors. We demonstrate our framework's performance by predicting the IR, Raman, and sum-frequency generation spectra of liquid water, ice and the water-air interface by achieving near quantitative agreement with experiments at nearly the same computational efficiency as pure classical methods. Finally, to aid the experimental discovery of new phases of nanoconfined water, we predict the temperature-dependent vibrational spectra of monolayer water across the solid-hexatic-liquid phases transition.

Double superionicity in icy compounds at planetary interior conditions

The elements hydrogen, carbon, nitrogen and oxygen are assumed to comprise the bulk of the interiors of the ice giant planets Uranus, Neptune, and sub-Neptune exoplanets. The details of their interior structures have remained largely unknown because it is not understood how the compounds H2O, NH3 and CH4 behave and react once they have been accreted and exposed to high pressures and temperatures. Here we study thirteen H-C-N-O compounds with ab initio computer simulations and demonstrate that they assume a superionic state at elevated temperatures, in which the hydrogen ions diffuse through a stable sublattice that is provided by the larger nuclei. At yet higher temperatures, four of the thirteen compounds undergo a second transition to a novel doubly superionic state, in which the smallest of the heavy nuclei diffuse simultaneously with hydrogen ions through the remaining sublattice. Since this transition and the melting transition at yet higher temperatures are both of first order, this may introduce additional layers in the mantle of ice giant planets and alter their convective patterns.

Colloidal superionic conductors

Nanoparticles with highly asymmetric sizes and charges that self-assemble into crystals via electrostatics may exhibit behaviors reminiscent of those of metals or superionic materials. Here, we use coarse-grained molecular simulations with underdamped Langevin dynamics to explore how a binary charged colloidal crystal reacts to an external electric field. As the field strength increases, we find transitions from insulator (ionic state), to superionic (conductive state), to laning, to complete melting (liquid state). In the superionic state, the resistivity decreases with increasing temperature, which is contrary to metals, yet the increment decreases as the electric field becomes stronger. Additionally, we verify that the dissipation of the system and the fluctuation of charge currents obey recently developed thermodynamic uncertainty relation. Our results describe charge transport mechanisms in colloidal superionic conductors.

Molecular rotations trigger a glass-to-plastic fcc heterogeneous crystallization in high-pressure water

We report a molecular dynamics study of the heterogeneous crystallization of high-pressure glassy water using (plastic) ice VII as a substrate. We focus on the thermodynamic conditions P ∈ [6-8] GPa and T ∈ [100-500] K, at which (plastic) ice VII and glassy water are supposed to coexist in several (exo)planets and icy moons. We find that (plastic) ice VII undergoes a martensitic phase transition to a (plastic) fcc crystal. Depending on the molecular rotational lifetime τ, we identify three rotational regimes: for τ > 20 ps, crystallization does not occur; for τ ∼ 15 ps, we observe a very sluggish crystallization and the formation of a considerable amount of icosahedral environments trapped in a highly defective crystal or in the residual glassy matrix; and for τ < 10 ps, crystallization takes place smoothly, resulting in an almost defect-free plastic fcc solid. The presence of icosahedral environments at intermediate τ is of particular interest as it shows that such a geometry, otherwise ephemeral at lower pressures, is, indeed, present in water. We justify the presence of icosahedral structures based on geometrical arguments. Our results represent the first study of heterogeneous crystallization occurring at thermodynamic conditions of relevance for planetary science and unveil the role of molecular rotations in achieving it. Our findings (i) show that the stability of plastic ice VII, widely reported in the literature, should be reconsidered in favor of plastic fcc, (ii) provide a rationale for the role of molecular rotations in achieving heterogeneous crystallization, and (iii) represent the first evidence of long-living icosahedral structures in water. Therefore, our work pushes forward our understanding of the properties of water.

Decoupling Ion Transport and Matrix Dynamics to Make High Performance Solid Polymer Electrolytes

Transport of ions through solid polymeric electrolytes (SPEs) involves a complicated interplay of ion solvation, ion-ion interactions, ion-polymer interactions, and free volume. Nonetheless, prevailing viewpoints on the subject promote a significantly simplified picture, likening ion transport in a polymer to that in an unstructured fluid at low solute concentrations. Although this idealized liquid transport model has been successful in guiding the design of homogeneous electrolytes, structured electrolytes provide a promising alternate route to achieve high ionic conductivity and selectivity. In this perspective, we begin by describing the physical origins of the idealized liquid transport mechanism and then proceed to examine known cases of decoupling between the matrix dynamics and ionic transport in SPEs. Specifically we discuss conditions for "decoupled" mobility that include a highly polar electrolyte environment, a percolated path of free volume elements (either through structured or unstructured channels), high ion concentrations, and labile ion-electrolyte interactions. Finally, we proceed to reflect on the potential of these mechanisms to promote multivalent ion conductivity and the need for research into the interfacial properties of solid polymer electrolytes as well as their performance at elevated potentials.

Ultralow Melting Temperature of High-Pressure Face-Centered Cubic Superionic Ice

Superionic ice with oxygen in a face-centered cubic (fcc) sublattice is ascribed to the origin of magnetic fields of Uranus and Neptune, since the melting temperature (T_m) of fcc-superionic ice is believed to be higher than the isentropes of ice giants. However, precisely measuring the fcc-superionic phase experimentally remains a difficult task. The majority of the systematic investigations of its T_m were performed using perfect oxygen fcc-sublattice computations, which could result in superheating and overestimation of T_m. On the basis of the ab initio molecular dynamics method and the model with H₂O vacancy, we avoid superheating and obtain a much lower T_m than previous reports, indicating that fcc-superionic ice cannot exist in the interiors of Uranus and Neptune. Further simulations with the two-phase method justify the conclusion. The results suggest that superheating should be seriously treated when simulating the phase diagram of other hydrogen-related superionic states, which are widely used to understand the properties of ice giants, Earth, and Venus.

Temperature- and pressure-dependence of the hydrogen bond network in plastic ice VII

We model, via classical molecular dynamics simulations, the plastic phase of ice VII across a wide range of the phase diagram of interest for planetary investigations. Although structural and dynamical properties of plastic ice VII are mostly independent on the thermodynamic conditions, the hydrogen bond network (HBN) acquires a diverse spectrum of topologies distinctly different from that of liquid water and of ice VII simulated at the same pressure. We observe that the HBN topology of plastic ice carries some degree of similarity with the crystal phase, stronger at thermodynamic conditions proximal to ice VII, and gradually lessening upon approaching the liquid state. Our results enrich our understanding of the properties of water at high pressure and high temperature, and may help in rationalizing the geology of

Evidence and Stability Field of fcc Superionic Water Ice Using Static Compression

Structural transformation of hot dense water ice is investigated by combining synchrotron x-ray diffraction and a laser-heating diamond anvil cell above 25 GPa. A transition from the body-centered-cubic (bcc) to face-centered-cubic (fcc) oxygen atoms sublattices is observed from 57 GPa and 1500 K to 166 GPa and 2500 K. That is the structural signature of the transition to fcc superionic (fcc SI) ice. The sign of the density discontinuity at the transition is obtained and a phase diagram is disclosed, showing an extended fcc SI stability field. Present data also constrain the stability field of the bcc superionic (bcc SI) ice up to 100 GPa at least. The current understanding of warm dense water ice based on ab initio simulations is discussed in the light of present data.

Superionic Silica-Water and Silica-Hydrogen Compounds in the Deep Interiors of Uranus and Neptune

Silica, water, and hydrogen are known to be the major components of celestial bodies, and have significant influence on the formation and evolution of giant planets, such as Uranus and Neptune. Thus, it is of fundamental importance to investigate their states and possible reactions under the planetary conditions. Here, using advanced crystal structure searches and first-principles calculations in the Si-O-H system, we find that a silica-water compound (SiO_{2})_{2}(H_{2}O) and a silica-hydrogen compound SiO_{2}H_{2} can exist under high pressures above 450 and 650 GPa, respectively. Further simulations reveal that, at high pressure and high temperature conditions corresponding to the interiors of Uranus and Neptune, these compounds exhibit superionic behavior, in which protons diffuse freely like liquid while the silicon and oxygen framework is fixed as solid. Therefore, these superionic silica-water and silica-hydrogen compounds could be regarded as important components of the deep mantle or core of giants, which also provides an alternative origin for their anomalous magnetic fields. These unexpected physical and chemical properties of the most common natural materials at high pressure offer key clues to understand some abstruse issues including demixing and erosion of the core in giant planets, and shed light on building reliable models for solar giants and exoplanets.

Dynamic compression of water to conditions in ice giant interiors

Recent discoveries of water-rich Neptune-like exoplanets require a more detailed understanding of the phase diagram of H₂O at pressure–temperature conditions relevant to their planetary interiors. The unusual non-dipolar magnetic fields of ice giant planets, produced by convecting liquid ionic water, are influenced by exotic high-pressure states of H₂O—yet the structure of ice in this state is challenging to determine experimentally. Here we present X-ray diffraction evidence of a body-centered cubic (BCC) structured H₂O ice at 200 GPa and ~ 5000 K, deemed ice XIX, using the X-ray Free Electron Laser of the Linac Coherent Light Source to probe the structure of the oxygen sub-lattice during dynamic compression. Although several cubic or orthorhombic structures have been predicted to be the stable structure at these conditions, we show this BCC ice phase is stable to multi-Mbar pressures and temperatures near the melt boundary. This suggests variable and increased electrical conductivity to greater depths in ice giant planets that may promote the generation of multipolar magnetic fields.

Dielectric properties of ice VII under the influence of time-alternating external electric fields

The high-pressure solid phase of water known as ice VII has recently attracted a lot of attention when its presence was detected in large exoplanets, their icy satellites, and even in Earth's mantle. Moreover, a transition of ice VII to the superionic phase can be triggered by external electric fields. Here, we investigate the dielectric responses of ice VII to applied oscillating electric fields of various frequencies employing non-equilibrium ab initio molecular dynamics. We focus on the dynamical properties of a dipole-ordered ice VII structure, for which we explored external-field-induced electronic polarisation and the vibrational spectral density of states (VDOS). These analyses are important for the understanding of collective motions in the ice-VII lattice and the electronic properties of this exotic water phase.

Pressure-Induced Superionicity of H- in Hypervalent Sodium Silicon Hydrides

Superionic states simultaneously exhibit properties of a fluid and a solid. Proton (H⁺) superionicity in ice, H₃O, He-H₂O, and He-NH₃ compounds is well-studied. However, hydride (H^-) superionicity in H-rich compounds is rare, being associated with instability and strongly reducing conditions. Silicon, sodium, and hydrogen are abundant elements in many astrophysical bodies. Here, we use first-principles calculations to show that, at high pressure, Na, Si, and H can form several hypervalent compounds. A previously unreported superionic state of Na₂SiH₆ results from unconstrained H^- in the hypervalent [SiH₆]^2- unit. Na₂SiH₆ is dynamically stable at low pressure (3 GPa), becoming superionic at 5 GPa, and re-entering solid/fluid states at about 25 GPa. Our observation of H^- transport opens up a new field of H^- conductors. It also has implications for the formation of conducting layers at depth in exotic carbon exoplanets, potentially enhancing the habitability of such planets.

Ionic Phases of Ammonia-Rich Hydrate at High Densities

Mixtures of ammonia and water are major components of the "hot ice" mantle regions of icy planets. The ammonia-rich ammonia hemihydrate (AHH) plays a pivotal role as it precipitates from water-rich mixtures under pressure. It has been predicted to form ionic high-pressure structures, with fully disintegrated water molecules. Utilizing Raman spectroscopy measurements up to 123 GPa and first-principles calculations, we report the spontaneous ionization of AHH under compression. Spectroscopic measurements reveal that molecular AHH begins to transform into an ionic state at 26 GPa and then above ∼69  GPa transforms into the fully ionic P3[over ¯]m1 phase, AHH-III, characterized as ammonium oxide (NH_{4}^{+})_{2}O^{2-}.

Coexistence of plastic and partially diffusive phases in a helium-methane compound

Helium and methane are major components of giant icy planets and are abundant in the universe. However, helium is the most inert element in the periodic table and methane is one of the most hydrophobic molecules, thus whether they can react with each other is of fundamental importance. Here, our crystal structure searches and first-principles calculations predict that a He3CH4 compound is stable over a wide range of pressures from 55 to 155 GPa and a HeCH4 compound becomes stable around 105 GPa. As nice examples of pure van der Waals crystals, the insertion of helium atoms changes the original packing of pure methane molecules and also largely hinders the polymerization of methane at higher pressures. After analyzing the diffusive properties during the melting of He3CH4 at high pressure and high temperature, in addition to a plastic methane phase, we have discovered an unusual phase which exhibits coexistence of diffusive helium and plastic methane. In addition, the range of the diffusive behavior within the helium-methane phase diagram is found to be much narrower compared to that of previously predicted helium-water compounds. This may be due to the weaker van der Waals interactions between methane molecules compared to those in helium-water compounds, and that the helium-methane compound melts more easily.

Computational Prediction of Novel Ice Phases: A Perspective

Although computational prediction of new ice phases is a niche field in water science, the scientific subject itself is representative of two important areas in physical chemistry, namely, statistical thermodynamics and molecular simulations. The prediction of a variety of novel ice phases has also attracted general public interest since the 1980s. In particular, the prediction of low-dimensional ice phases has gained momentum since the confirmation of a number of low-dimensional "computer ice" phases in the laboratory over the past decade. In this Perspective, the research advancements in computational prediction of novel ice phases over the past few years are reviewed. Particular attention is placed on new ice phases whose physical properties or dimensional structures are distinctly different from conventional bulk ices. Specific topics include the (i) formation of superionic ices, (ii) electrofreezing of water under high pressure and in a high external electric field, (iii) prediction of low-density porous ice at strongly negative pressure, (iv) ab initio computational study of two-dimensional (2D) ice under nanoscale confinement, and (v) 2D ices formed on a solid surface near ambient temperature without nanoscale confinement. Clearly, the formation of most of these novel ice phases demands certain extreme conditions. Ongoing challenges and new opportunities for predicting new ice phases from either classical molecular dynamics simulation or high-level ab initio computation are discussed.

Heat and charge transport in H2O at ice-giant conditions from ab initio molecular dynamics simulations

The impact of the inner structure and thermal history of planets on their observable features, such as luminosity or magnetic field, crucially depends on the poorly known heat and charge transport properties of their internal layers. The thermal and electric conductivities of different phases of water (liquid, solid, and super-ionic) occurring in the interior of ice giant planets, such as Uranus or Neptune, are evaluated from equilibrium ab initio molecular dynamics, leveraging recent progresses in the theory and data analysis of transport in extended systems. The implications of our findings on the evolution models of the ice giants are briefly discussed.

Possibility of realizing superionic ice VII in external electric fields of planetary bodies

In a superionic (SI) ice phase, oxygen atoms remain crystallographically ordered while protons become fully diffusive as a result of intramolecular dissociation. Ice VII's importance as a potential candidate for a SI ice phase has been conjectured from anomalous proton diffusivity data. Theoretical studies indicate possible SI prevalence in large-planet mantles (e.g., Uranus and Neptune) and exoplanets. Here, we realize sustainable SI behavior in ice VII by means of externally applied electric fields, using state-of-the-art nonequilibrium ab initio molecular dynamics to witness at first hand the protons' fluid dance through a dipole-ordered ice VII lattice. We point out the possibility of SI ice VII on Venus, in its strong permanent electric field.

Anomalous hydrogen dynamics of the ice VII-VIII transition revealed by high-pressure neutron diffraction

Above 2 GPa the phase diagram of water simplifies considerably and exhibits only two solid phases up to 60 GPa, ice VII and ice VIII. The two phases are related to each other by hydrogen ordering, with the oxygen sublattice being essentially the same. Here we present neutron diffraction data to 15 GPa which reveal that the rate of hydrogen ordering at the ice VII-VIII transition decreases strongly with pressure to reach timescales of minutes at 10 GPa. Surprisingly, the ordering process becomes more rapid again upon further compression. We show that such an unusual change in transition rate can be explained by a slowing down of the rotational dynamics of water molecules with a simultaneous increase of translational motion of hydrogen under pressure, as previously suspected. The observed cross-over in the hydrogen dynamics in ice is likely the origin of various hitherto unexplained anomalies of ice VII in the 10-15 GPa range reported by Raman spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and proton conductivity.

Compressive behavior and electronic properties of ammonia ice: a first-principles study

We performed systematic ab initio calculations to explore the structures and electronic properties of ammonia ice by hydrostatic compression.

Nanosecond X-ray diffraction of shock-compressed superionic water ice

Since Bridgman's discovery of five solid water (H₂O) ice phases¹ in 1912, studies on the extraordinary polymorphism of H₂O have documented more than seventeen crystalline and several amorphous ice structures^2,3, as well as rich metastability and kinetic effects^4,5. This unique behaviour is due in part to the geometrical frustration of the weak intermolecular hydrogen bonds and the sizeable quantum motion of the light hydrogen ions (protons). Particularly intriguing is the prediction that H₂O becomes superionic^6-12-with liquid-like protons diffusing through the solid lattice of oxygen-when subjected to extreme pressures exceeding 100 gigapascals and high temperatures above 2,000 kelvin. Numerical simulations suggest that the characteristic diffusion of the protons through the empty sites of the oxygen solid lattice (1) gives rise to a surprisingly high ionic conductivity above 100 Siemens per centimetre, that is, almost as high as typical metallic (electronic) conductivity, (2) greatly increases the ice melting temperature^7-13 to several thousand kelvin, and (3) favours new ice structures with a close-packed oxygen lattice^13-15. Because confining such hot and dense H₂O in the laboratory is extremely challenging, experimental data are scarce. Recent optical measurements along the Hugoniot curve (locus of shock states) of water ice VII showed evidence of superionic conduction and thermodynamic signatures for melting¹⁶, but did not confirm the microscopic structure of superionic ice. Here we use laser-driven shockwaves to simultaneously compress and heat liquid water samples to 100-400 gigapascals and 2,000-3,000 kelvin. In situ X-ray diffraction measurements show that under these conditions, water solidifies within a few nanoseconds into nanometre-sized ice grains that exhibit unambiguous evidence for the crystalline oxygen lattice of superionic water ice. The X-ray diffraction data also allow us to document the compressibility of ice at these extreme conditions and a temperature- and pressure-induced phase transformation from a body-centred-cubic ice phase (probably ice X) to a novel face-centred-cubic, superionic ice phase, which we name ice XVIII^2,17.

The collective and quantum nature of proton transfer in the cyclic water tetramer on NaCl(001)

Proton tunneling is an elementary process in the dynamics of hydrogen-bonded systems. Collective tunneling is known to exist for a long time. Atomistic investigations of this mechanism in realistic systems, however, are scarce. Using a combination of ab initio theoretical and high-resolution experimental methods, we investigate the role played by the protons on the chirality switching of a water tetramer on NaCl(001). Our scanning tunneling spectroscopies show that partial deuteration of the H₂O tetramer with only one D₂O leads to a significant suppression of the chirality switching rate at a cryogenic temperature (T), indicating that the chirality switches by tunneling in a concerted manner. Theoretical simulations, in the meantime, support this picture by presenting a much smaller free-energy barrier for the translational collective proton tunneling mode than other chirality switching modes at low T. During this analysis, the virial energy provides a reasonable estimator for the description of the nuclear quantum effects when a traditional thermodynamic integration method cannot be used, which could be employed in future studies of similar problems. Given the high-dimensional nature of realistic systems and the topology of the hydrogen-bonded network, collective proton tunneling may exist more ubiquitously than expected. Systems of this kind can serve as ideal platforms for studies of this mechanism, easily accessible to high-resolution experimental measurements.

Liquid-like cationic sub-lattice in copper selenide clusters

Super-ionic solids, which exhibit ion mobilities as high as those in liquids or molten salts, have been employed as solid-state electrolytes in batteries, improved thermoelectrics and fast-ion conductors in super-capacitors and fuel cells. Fast-ion transport in many of these solids is supported by a disordered, 'liquid-like' sub-lattice of cations mobile within a rigid anionic sub-lattice, often achieved at high temperatures or pressures via a phase transition. Here we show that ultrasmall clusters of copper selenide exhibit a disordered cationic sub-lattice under ambient conditions unlike larger nanocrystals, where Cu⁺ ions and vacancies form an ordered super-structure similar to the bulk solid. The clusters exhibit an unusual cationic sub-lattice arrangement wherein octahedral sites, which serve as bridges for cation migration, are stabilized by compressive strain. The room-temperature liquid-like nature of the Cu⁺ sub-lattice combined with the actively tunable plasmonic properties of the Cu₂Se clusters make them suitable as fast electro-optic switches.

Superionic-Superionic Phase Transitions in Body-Centered Cubic H_{2}O Ice

From first-principles molecular dynamics, we investigate the relation between the superionic proton conduction and the behavior of the O─H⋯O bond (ice VII^{'} to ice X transition) in body-centered-cubic (bcc) H_{2}O ice between 1300 and 2000 K and up to 300 GPa. We bring evidence that there are three distinct phases in the superionic bcc stability field. A first superionic phase characterized by extremely fast diffusion of highly delocalized protons (denoted VII^{''}  hereinafter) is stable at low pressures. A first-order transition separates this phase from a superionic VII^{'}, characterized by a finite degree of localization of protons along the nonsymmetric O─H⋯O bonds. The transition is identified in structural, energetic, and elastic analysis. Upon further compression a second-order phase transition leads to the superionic ice X with symmetric O─H─O bonds.

Laser vaporization of cirrus-like ice particles with secondary ice multiplication

We investigate the interaction of ultrashort laser filaments with individual 90-μm ice particles, representative of cirrus particles. The ice particles fragment under laser illumination. By monitoring the evolution of the corresponding ice/vapor system at up to 140,000 frames per second over 30 ms, we conclude that a shockwave vaporization supersaturates the neighboring region relative to ice, allowing the nucleation and growth of new ice particles, supported by laser-induced plasma photochemistry. This process constitutes the first direct observation of filament-induced secondary ice multiplication, a process that strongly modifies the particle size distribution and, thus, the albedo of typical cirrus clouds.

Ab initio calculation of thermodynamic potentials and entropies for superionic water

We construct thermodynamic potentials for two superionic phases of water [with body-centered cubic (bcc) and face-centered cubic (fcc) oxygen lattice] using a combination of density functional theory (DFT) and molecular dynamics simulations (MD). For this purpose, a generic expression for the free energy of warm dense matter is developed and parametrized with equation of state data from the DFT-MD simulations. A second central aspect is the accurate determination of the entropy, which is done using an approximate two-phase method based on the frequency spectra of the nuclear motion. The boundary between the bcc superionic phase and the ices VII and X calculated with thermodynamic potentials from DFT-MD is consistent with that directly derived from the simulations. Differences in the physical properties of the bcc and fcc superionic phases and their impact on interior modeling of water-rich giant planets are discussed.