A MOLECULAR MECHANISM FOR GAS HYDRATE NUCLEATION FROM ICE

Induction phenomena are explained that exist in the only two reproducible sets of kinetic data in the literature for gas hydrate formation from an agitated ice surface. The previously unexplained data are interpreted using recent crystal diffraction results. The induction explanation is validated through cyclopropane hydrate kinetic experiments. The induction reasoning forms the basis of an hypothesis for a molecular mechanism of hydrate formation from ice. The hypothesized mechanism is quantified and given physical interpretation. The hypothesis may have significant implications for inhibiting hydrate formation.