Neutron diffraction of ice and water in hydrogels

Sekine, Yurina   ; Kobayashi, Riki*; Chi, S.*; Fernandez-Baca, J. A.*; Suzuya, Kentaro; Fujisaki, Fumika*; Ikeda, Kazutaka*; Otomo, Toshiya*; Fukazawa, Tomoko*; Yamauchi, Hiroki   ; Fukazawa, Hiroshi

Neutron diffraction profiles of low-DO-content poly-N,N,-dimethylacrylamide (PDMAA) hydrogels were measured from 100 to 300 K to investigate the structure and properties of water in hydrogels. A broad diffraction observed at temperatures lower than 220 K indicates the existence of amorphous ice in the hydrogels at low temperatures. During the heating process, diffraction peaks from ice crystals appear in the profiles. These peaks indicate that cubic ice and hexagonal ice exist at T 220 K. We refined the structure parameters of these ices in the hydrogel, which indicate the existence of low-density ice in the hydrogel.