Freezing of Water Column Inside Carbon Nanotube

Here we show the freezing of water inside a narrow carbon nanotube where the temperature is 300 K. The animation begins with a cross section of the simulation system. At first, there is a crystalline slab (green) of neutral spheres that is surrounded on both sides by water held at near-atmospheric pressure (1 bar). The slab and the nanotube contained within are hidden from view to reveal the water inside. At first, some alignment of the water molecules (oxygen, red; hydrogen, white) can been seen. Over the course of 0.25 nanoseconds, this alignment increases and the empty spaces in between the water molecules close up.