When ice melts, there is a layer like water, and its properties are still unknown. Now, the international team led by Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research in Germany has successfully revealed the characteristics of water-like layers at the molecular level by using advanced surface-specific spectroscopy technology and computer simulation, and found that the melting of ice into water occurs layer by layer with the change of temperature.

Experiments so far show that when the ice temperature reaches the melting point of 0℃, the thickness of the water sample layer can be thickened to 45 nanometers (11000 of the diameter of human hair), which is so meager that this research is extremely challenging.

Multi-layer melting of ice;

The experimental and simulation results show that the first molecular layer on the ice surface has begun to melt when the temperature is as low as -38℃. When the temperature rises to-16℃, the second layer becomes liquid.

Contrary to the view of "continuous melting", the melting of ice is not a continuous process, but occurs layer by layer. Misha Bourne, co-author of the paper, added that the spectral response of quasi-liquid layer at -4℃ is also different from that of supercooled water at the same temperature, and the interaction between water molecules is stronger in quasi-liquid layer.