Grain boundary properties of ice doped with small concentrations of potassium chloride(KCl)

Abstract

The grain boundary (GB) migration rate was studied in ice bicrystals obtained from 1 to10 µmol l−1 (0.02 to 0.2 ppm) potassium chloride (KCl) water solutions and annealed at temperatures above−20 °C for 170 days. GB mobility was determined as a function of annealing temperature and soluteconcentration. The GB mobility values obtained show a systematic dependence on thesolute concentration. For the first time, it was observed in ice that small concentrations ofimpurity decrease the GB mobility, as occurs in other materials. The results alsoindicate possible changes of the GB structure in the annealing temperature rangestudied.