Heterogeneous ice nucleation on silver-iodide-like surfaces

Abstract

We attempt to simulate the heterogeneous nucleation of ice at model silver-iodide surfaces and find relatively facile ice nucleation and growth at the Ag+ termi nated basal face, but never see nucleation at the I- terminated basal face or the prism and normal faces. Water molecules strongly adsorb onto the Ag+ terminate d face to give a well-ordered hexagonal ice-like bilayer that then acts as a template for further ice growth.