Interfaces govern the structure of angstrom-scale confined water solutions
Overview
Paper Summary
Water confined in nanoscale spaces is structurally different from bulk water, but for larger confinements (>8 Angstroms), it's mainly the surfaces influencing the structure, not the confinement itself. Only at extremely small confinements (<8 Angstroms, about two water molecule layers thick) does the confinement start dictating the water's behavior, weakening its hydrogen bonds and forcing it to lie flat.
Explain Like I'm Five
Water trapped between two surfaces behaves differently than bulk water. But, unless it's *really* trapped in a tiny space (<8 Angstroms!), it's the surfaces having the effect, not the confinement itself.
Possible Conflicts of Interest
None identified
Identified Limitations
Rating Explanation
This study provides valuable insights into the structure of nanoconfined water using surface-specific vibrational spectroscopy. It systematically disentangled the interfacial and nanoconfinement effects, offering a comprehensive understanding of water behavior under different levels of confinement. The combination of experimental work and theoretical simulations strengthened the conclusions. However, the specific confinement environment created by capillary condensation may pose a limitation.
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