China's scientific researchers pioneered the "ice and snow that never melts"

IT house February 9 news, the 2022 Winter Olympics so that the heat of ice and snow sports is also continuing to heat up, according to science and technology daily report, Beijing Institute of Technology School of Astronautics Professor Zhang Kai team developed a new material - gel ice and snow, its biggest feature is "never melt"

Recently, the gel ice and snow ice plate prepared by Zhang Kai's team was unveiled at the "Science and Technology Winter Olympics" theme exhibition of the China Science and Technology Museum. It is reported that more than 90% of the components in gel ice and snow are water, so it has almost the same visual and tactile sensation as natural ice and snow.

The mystery of non-melting is hidden in a hydrophilic polymer network, which is formed by the polymerization reaction of a variety of materials through chemical means, and the material, shape and crosslinking method of the polymer network are also different according to different needs. In the absence of a polymer network, the ice crystals will melt into water after heating up; but after adding the polymer network, the melted water is also firmly locked in the grid and cannot escape. This way, even when heated up, the hydrogel remains intact – it is somewhere between liquid and solid.

Add a layer of self-refrigeration to the hydrogel to make ice plates and ice walls. When heated up, the water does not drip and can be used to make exquisite reliefs – the only existing technical solution in the world that preserves reliefs on ice for a long time. If you do a small "ice carnival" in the city, gel ice and snow are also easy to carry and install. At room temperature, it can be rolled up, and when it reaches the place, a layer of ice board is cushioned, and the refrigeration unit can make it transform into a small ice rink that does not melt.

IT House learned that gel ice and snow can provide a real ice and snow experience that cannot be compared with simulated ice. Moreover, its raw materials are inexpensive, the preparation method is simple, there is no need for expensive large instruments, and it is easy to maintain during use, and the cost is greatly reduced compared with manual icemaking technology.

In addition, there are many interesting applications, such as gel ice cups and ice bowls prepared from gel ice and snow, which do not melt, do not lose shape, are tough, are not easy to break, and can be reused. Gel ice and snow can introduce elements with light, electricity, magnetism and other characteristics, which can be functionalized, such as making it glow and shine, or making a refrigerator sticker.