Researchers engineered frozen ice discs that self-propel across a metal surface using the Leidenfrost effect. The effect allows ice to float on water vapor, but a higher temperature of 550° Celsius is necessary for levitation compared to liquids. A significant temperature differential is crucial for this process, as the water underneath the ice melts and boils. The phenomenon demonstrates how ice can achieve levitation under extreme conditions, shedding light on the complexities of heat transfer and phase changes in materials.
Boreyko's lab discovered that the Leidenfrost effect can be achieved with ice by placing a disc on a heated aluminum surface, requiring a temperature threshold of 550° Celsius for levitation to occur.
The Leidenfrost effect causes drops on a hot surface to levitate, allowing them to slide freely. This phenomenon also applies to ice, but with a significantly higher temperature requirement.
A three-phase Leidenfrost effect occurs when ice is levitated above boiling meltwater, creating a temperature differential where the bottom is boiling while the top remains adhered to the ice.
The experiment reveals that achieving levitation of the ice disc is difficult, as it requires an extreme temperature difference, consuming most of the heat from the aluminum surface.
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