Researchers at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL) have developed a new method to study the electronic and nuclear quantum effects of hydrogen bonds in liquid water. This breakthrough could reveal the secrets behind these strong yet mysterious forces that give water its unique properties.
Traditional methods of studying hydrogen bonds, such as spectroscopy, are limited by their inability to capture the short-lived interactions between water molecules. The lifetime of a hydrogen bond is just one millionth of a millionth of a second, making it difficult to study accurately.
The new method, called correlated vibrational spectroscopy (CVS), uses ultra-fast laser pulses to identify and separate interacting and non-interacting water molecules. By analyzing the pattern of light emitted by these molecules, researchers can directly measure factors such as charge sharing between hydrogen and oxygen atoms that form hydrogen bonds.
This breakthrough could provide a deeper understanding of the quantum phenomena at the heart of liquid water’s unique properties. The study also shows promise for investigating other chemical systems at the molecular scale.
The use of CVS has far-reaching potential, allowing scientists to quantify changes in water molecules on a quantum scale. This includes measuring the effects of added hydroxide ions or protons on the H-bond network. The study’s findings could help unravel many mysteries associated with other liquids and chemical systems.
Source: https://interestingengineering.com/science/hydrogen-bond-quantum-secret-liquid-water