Non-equilibrium thermodynamics and collective vibrational modes of liquid water in an inhomogeneous electric field

Wexler, Adam D.; Drusová, Sandra; Woisetschläger, Jakob; Fuchs, Elmar

doi:10.1039/c5cp07218b

Cited by 16 publications

(18 citation statements)

References 72 publications

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“…From previous experiments [33,34] it is known that spike-like refractive index changes similar to the ones observed in the present experiment (see Figures 4-6) occur in a needleplate set-up when the high voltage is switched on or off, so during the electrically induced phase transition. These spikes are the kinks, solitons or vortices discussed earlier, and partly consist of both phases.…”

Section: (C)supporting

confidence: 85%

“…Previous results from quasi-elastic neutron scattering [30], femtosecond mid-infrared spectroscopy [24], and Raman spectroscopy [33] strongly indicated that neither EHD flow simulation nor molecular dynamic simulations are sufficient to explain some of the macroscopic effects observed in the experiments mentioned. Among these are increased proton mobility and increased molecular vibrational relaxation in the bridge, as well as long-range vibrational coupling among water molecules.…”

Section: Topological Changes In Electrically Stressed Watermentioning

confidence: 97%

“…In the bridge the protons are more mobile than in the bulk [30] and their transport causes a non-thermic IR emission [31] Details about how to safely build and run an EHD bridge set-up were described by Wexler et al [32]. Recently, it was shown that the application of an electric field of comparable magnitude to water in an electrolysis-less needle-plate set-up [33] induces a second-order phase transition [34] in the sense of Landau [35]. In the present work we highlight some of the macroscopic features of the bridge that have puzzled many authors over the years-scattering in the outer layer of the bridge which was first attributed to birefringence [36] or nano-bubbles [18], none of which turned out to be true.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Electrically Induced Liquid–Liquid Phase Transition in a Floating Water Bridge Identified by Refractive Index Variations

Fuchs¹,

Woisetschläger

Wexler

et al. 2021

Water

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A horizontal electrohydrodynamic (EHD) liquid bridge (also known as a “floating water bridge”) is a phenomenon that forms when high voltage DC (kV·cm−1) is applied to pure water in two separate beakers. The bridge, a free-floating connection between the beakers, acts as a cylindrical lens and refracts light. Using an interferometric set-up with a line pattern placed in the background of the bridge, the light passing through is split into a horizontally and a vertically polarized component which are both projected into the image space in front of the bridge with a small vertical offset (shear). Apart from a 100 Hz waviness due to a resonance effect between the power supply and vortical structures at the onset of the bridge, spikes with an increased refractive index moving through the bridge were observed. These spikes can be explained by an electrically induced liquid–liquid phase transition in which the vibrational modes of the water molecules couple coherently.

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Section: (C)supporting

confidence: 85%

Section: Topological Changes In Electrically Stressed Watermentioning

confidence: 97%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Electrically Induced Liquid–Liquid Phase Transition in a Floating Water Bridge Identified by Refractive Index Variations

Fuchs¹,

Woisetschläger

Wexler

et al. 2021

Water

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“…In addition, the bridge bases are locations of strong field gradients [9] , [37] . A Raman investigation [38] has shown that such gradients establish an excited subpopulation of vibrational oscillators far from thermal equilibrium. Hindered rotational freedom due to electric field pinning of molecular dipoles [23] , [38] retards the heat flow and generates a chemical potential gradient responsible for observable changes in the refractive index and temperature, exhibiting local non-equilibrium thermodynamic transient states critical to biochemical processes.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Behavioral study of selected microorganisms in an aqueous electrohydrodynamic liquid bridge

Paulitsch-Fuchs

Zsohár²,

Wexler³

et al. 2017

Biochemistry and Biophysics Reports

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An aqueous electrohydrodynamic (EHD) floating liquid bridge is a unique environment for studying the influence of protonic currents (mA cm−2) in strong DC electric fields (kV cm−1) on the behavior of microorganisms. It forms in between two beakers filled with water when high-voltage is applied to these beakers. We recently discovered that exposure to this bridge has a stimulating effect on Escherichia coli.. In this work we show that the survival is due to a natural Faraday cage effect of the cell wall of these microorganisms using a simple 2D model. We further confirm this hypothesis by measuring and simulating the behavior of Bacillus subtilis subtilis, Neochloris oleoabundans, Saccharomyces cerevisiae and THP-1 monocytes. Their behavior matches the predictions of the model: cells without a natural Faraday cage like algae and monocytes are mostly killed and weakened, whereas yeast and Bacillus subtilis subtilis survive. The effect of the natural Faraday cage is twofold: First, it diverts the current from passing through the cell (and thereby killing it); secondly, because it is protonic it maintains the osmotic pressure in the cell wall, thereby mitigating cytolysis which would normally occur due to the low osmotic pressure of the surrounding medium. The method presented provides the basis for selective disinfection of solutions containing different microorganisms.

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“…Second, this energy appears to be related to a macroscopic state of water that behaves optically as quasi-liquidcrystals do [13]- [15]. Apparently this energy can be dissipated as infrared radiation [4] [16] or mechanical flow [3] [17]. We will propose that this energy from dissociated water is an important part of blood flow in venules, the spread of action potentials in axons, the heart beat and spreading depression waves and other electrochemical patterns in the brain present in functional syndromes.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Macroscopic Self-Organized Electrochemical Patterns in Excitable Tissue and Irreversible Thermodynamics

Lima¹,

Hanke²

2016

OJBIPHY

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In this paper we make the assertion that the key to understand the emergent properties of excitable tissue (brain and heart) lies in the application of irreversible thermodynamics. We support this assertion by pointing out where symmetry break, phase transitions both in structure of membranes as well as in the dynamic of interactions between membranes occur in excitable tissue and how they create emergent low dimensional electrochemical patterns. These patterns are expressed as physiological or physiopathological concomitants of the organ or organism behavior. We propose that a set of beliefs about the nature of biological membranes and their interactions are hampering progress in the physiology of excitable tissue. We will argue that while there is no direct evidence to justify the belief that quantum mechanics has anything to do with macroscopic patterns expressed in excitable tissue, there is plenty of evidence in favor of irreversible thermodynamics. Some key predictions have been fulfilled long time ago and they have been ignored by the mainstream literature. Dissipative structures and phase transitions appear to be a better conceptual context to discuss biological self-organization. The central role of time as a global coupling agent is emphasized in the interpretation of the presented results.

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Non-equilibrium thermodynamics and collective vibrational modes of liquid water in an inhomogeneous electric field

Cited by 16 publications

References 72 publications

Electrically Induced Liquid–Liquid Phase Transition in a Floating Water Bridge Identified by Refractive Index Variations

Electrically Induced Liquid–Liquid Phase Transition in a Floating Water Bridge Identified by Refractive Index Variations

Behavioral study of selected microorganisms in an aqueous electrohydrodynamic liquid bridge

Macroscopic Self-Organized Electrochemical Patterns in Excitable Tissue and Irreversible Thermodynamics

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