Microscopic observation and in-situ Raman scattering studies on high-pressure phase transformations of Kr hydrate

Direct observations through a microscope and in-situ Raman scattering measurements of synthesized single-crystalline Kr hydrate have been performed at pressures up to 5.2 GPa and 296 K. We have observed that the initial cubic structure II (sII) of Kr hydrate successively transforms to a cubic structure I (sI), a hexagonal structure, and an orthorhombic structure (sO) called "filled ice" at 0.45, 0.75, and 1.8 GPa, respectively. The sO phase exists at least up to 5.2 GPa. In addition to these transformations, we have also found the new phase behavior at 1.0 GPa, which is most likely caused by the change of cage occupancy of host water cages by guest Kr atoms without structural change. Raman scattering measurements for observed phases have shown that the lattice vibrational peak at around 130 cm(-1) disappears in the pressure region of sI, which enables us to distinguish the sI phase from sII and sH phases.     

Phase transformation of methane hydrate under high pressure

In situ Raman spectroscopy is employed to study the phase behavior of methane hydrate at high pressure. The structure 1 of methane hydrate can be maintained up to 950 MPa at 299 K. The transformation of structure I<-->structure H+water+CH4 occurs at 880 MPa and 323 K. The structure H of methane hydrate, however, decomposes to methane and water at 960 MPa and 348 K. The initiation mechanism of methane hydrate sI is also discussed.     

Phase changes of CO2 hydrate under high pressure and low temperature

High pressure and low temperature experiments with CO(2) hydrate were performed using diamond anvil cells and a helium-refrigeration cryostat in the pressure and temperature range of 0.2-3.0 GPa and 280-80 K, respectively. In situ x-ray diffractometry revealed that the phase boundary between CO(2) hydrate and water+CO(2) extended below the 280 K reported previously, toward a higher pressure and low temperature region. The results also showed the existence of a new high pressure phase above approximately 0.6 GPa and below 1.0 GPa at which the hydrate decomposed to dry ice and ice VI. In addition, in the lower temperature region of structure I, a small and abrupt lattice expansion was observed at approximately 210 K with decreasing temperature under fixed pressures. The expansion was accompanied by a release of water content from the sI structure as ice Ih, which indicates an increased cage occupancy. A similar lattice expansion was also described in another clathrate, SiO(2) clathrate, under high pressure. Such expansion with increasing cage occupancy might be a common manner to stabilize the clathrate structures under high pressure and low temperature.     

Molecular simulation of non-equilibrium methane hydrate decomposition process

We recently performed constant energy molecular dynamics simulations of the endothermic decomposition of methane hydrate in contact with water to study phenomenologically the role of mass and heat transfer in the decomposition rate [S. Alavi, J.A. Ripmeester, J. Chem. Phys. 132 (2010) 144703]. We observed that with the progress of the decomposition front temperature gradients are established between the remaining solid hydrate and the solution phases. In this work, we provide further quantitative macroscopic and molecular level analysis of the methane hydrate decomposition process with an emphasis on elucidating microscopic details and how they affect the predicted rate of methane hydrate decomposition in natural methane hydrate reservoirs. A quantitative criterion is used to characterize the decomposition of the hydrate phase at different times. Hydrate dissociation occurs in a stepwise fashion with rows of sI cages parallel to the interface decomposing simultaneously. The correlations between decomposition times of subsequent layers of the hydrate phase are discussed.     

Search for memory effects in methane hydrate: structure of water before hydrate formation and after hydrate decomposition

Neutron diffraction with HD isotope substitution has been used to study the formation and decomposition of the methane clathrate hydrate. Using this atomistic technique coupled with simultaneous gas consumption measurements, we have successfully tracked the formation of the sI methane hydrate from a water/gas mixture and then the subsequent decomposition of the hydrate from initiation to completion. These studies demonstrate that the application of neutron diffraction with simultaneous gas consumption measurements provides a powerful method for studying the clathrate hydrate crystal growth and decomposition. We have also used neutron diffraction to examine the water structure before the hydrate growth and after the hydrate decomposition. From the neutron-scattering curves and the empirical potential structure refinement analysis of the data, we find that there is no significant difference between the structure of water before the hydrate formation and the structure of water after the hydrate decomposition. Nor is there any significant change to the methane hydration shell. These results are discussed in the context of widely held views on the existence of memory effects after the hydrate decomposition.     

Heterogeneous crystal growth of methane hydrate on its sII [001] crystallographic face

This paper presents a systematic molecular simulation study of the heterogeneous crystal growth of methane hydrate sII from supersaturated aqueous methane solutions. The growth of sII hydrate on the [001] crystallographic face is achieved through utilization of a recently proposed methodology, and rates of crystal growth of 1 A/ns were sustained for the molecular models and specific conditions employed in this work. Characteristics of the crystals grown as well as properties and structure of the interface are examined. Water cages with a 5(12)6(3) arrangement, which are improper to both sI and sII structures, are identified during the heterogeneous growth of sII methane hydrate. We show that the growth of a [001] face of sII hydrate can produce an sI crystalline structure, confirming that cross-nucleation of methane hydrate structures is possible. Defects consisting of two methane molecules trapped in large 5(12)6(4) cages and water molecules trapped in small and large cages are observed, where in one instance we have found a large 5(12)6(4) cage containing three water molecules.     

A potential model for methane in water describing correctly the solubility of the gas and the properties of the methane hydrate

We have obtained the excess chemical potential of methane in water, over a broad range of temperatures, from computer simulation. The methane molecules are described as simple Lennard-Jones interaction sites, while water is modeled by the recently proposed TIP4P/2005 model. We have observed that the experimental values of the chemical potential are not reproduced when using the Lorentz-Berthelot combining rules. However, we also noticed that the deviation is systematic, suggesting that this may be corrected. In fact, by introducing positive deviations from the energetic Lorentz-Berthelot rule to account indirectly for the polarization methane-water energy, we are able to describe accurately the excess chemical potential of methane in water. Thus, by using a model capable of describing accurately the density of pure water in a wide range of temperatures and by deviating from the Lorentz-Berthelot combining rules, it is possible to reproduce the properties of methane in water at infinite dilution. In addition, we have applied this methane-water potential to the study of the solid methane hydrate structure, commonly denoted as sI, and find that the model describes the experimental value of the unit cell of the hydrate with an error of about 0.2%. Moreover, we have considered the effect of the amount of methane contained in the hydrate. In doing so, we determine that the presence of methane increases slightly the value of the unit cell and decreases slightly the compressibility of the structure. We also note that the presence of methane increases greatly the range of pressures where the sI hydrate is mechanically stable.     

Temperature- and Pressure-induced Structural Transition of Binary Clathrate Hydrates

We discover new structure II (sII) hydrate forming agents of two C₄H₈O molecules (2-methyl-2-propen-1-ol and 2-butanone) and report the abnormal structural transition of binary C₄H₈O+CH₄ hydrates between structure I (sI) and sII with varying temperature and pressure conditions. In both (2-methyl-2-propen-1-ol+CH₄) and (2-butanone+CH₄) systems, the phase boundary of the two different hydrate phases (sI and sII) exists at the slope change of the phase-equilibrium curve in the semi-logarithmic plots. We confirm the crystal structures of two hydrates synthesized at low (278 K and 6 MPa) and high (286 K and 15 MPa) temperature and pressure conditions by using high-resolution powder diffraction and Raman spectroscopy. 2-Methyl-2-propen-1-ol and 2-butanone can occupy the large cages of sII hydrate at low temperature and pressure conditions; however, they are excluded from the hydrate phase at high temperature and pressure conditions, resulting in the formation of pure sI CH₄ hydrate.     

Molecular simulation of gas hydrate nanoclusters in water shell: Structure and phase transitions

Gas hydrate nanoclusters surrounded by water shells are studied by the molecular dynamic method. Hydrates of methane (sI structures) and krypton (sII structures), as well an ice nanocluster in a supercooled water shell, are considered. The main attention was focused on studying the local structure and phase transitions. Variations in local partial densities with an increase in temperature are monitored. Melting points of nanosized samples of gas hydrates are determined using caloric curves. Additional information on the behavior of the considered systems is obtained from the temperature dependences of diffusion coefficients and the Lindemann criterion. Two-phase transitions are revealed for gas hydrate nanoclusters. The first phase transition at 210 K can be assigned to the melting of the ice shell. The second transition at 230–235 K is identified as the phase transition in the hydrate core. The melting of ice cluster is observed at 215 K, which corresponds to the melting point of bulk crystal upon the use of the SPC/E water model.     

Molecular insights into the heterogeneous crystal growth of si methane hydrate

In this paper we report a successful molecular simulation study exploring the heterogeneous crystal growth of sI methane hydrate along its [001] crystallographic face. The molecular modeling of the crystal growth of methane hydrate has proven in the past to be very challenging, and a reasonable framework to overcome the difficulties related to the simulation of such systems is presented. Both the microscopic mechanisms of heterogeneous crystal growth as well as interfacial properties of methane hydrate are probed. In the presence of the appropriate crystal template, a strong tendency for water molecules to organize into cages around methane at the growing interface is observed; the interface also demonstrates a strong affinity for methane molecules. The maximum growth rate measured for a hydrate crystal is about 4 times higher than the value previously determined for ice I in a similar framework (Gulam Razul, M. S.; Hendry, J. G.; Kusalik, P. G. J. Chem. Phys. 2005, 123, 204722).     

NMR study of methane + ethane structure I hydrate decomposition

The thermally activated decomposition of methane + ethane structure I hydrate was studied with use of 13C magic-angle spinning (MAS) NMR as a function of composition and temperature. The observed higher decomposition rate of large sI cages initially filled with ethane gas can be described in terms of a model where a distribution of sI unit cells exists such that a particular unit cell contains zero, one, or two methane molecules in the unit cell; this distribution of unit cells is combined to form the observed equilibrium composition. In this model, unit cells with zero methane molecules are the least stable and decompose more rapidly than those populated with one or two methane molecules leading to the observed overall faster decomposition rate of the large cages containing ethane molecules.     

Molecular dynamics simulation for surface melting and self-preservation effect of methane hydrate

The surface melting process of structure sI methane hydrate is simulated at T = 240, 260, 280, and 300 K using NVT molecular dynamics method. The simulation results show that a quasi-liquid layer will be formed during the melting process. The density distribution, translation, orientation, and dynamic properties of water molecules in the quasi-liquid layer are calculated as a function of the distance normal to the interface, which indicates the performance of quasi-liquid layer exhibits a continuous change from crystal-like to liquid-like. The quasi-liquid layer plays as a resistance of mass transfer restraining the diffusion of water and methane molecules during the melting process. The resistance of quasi-liquid layer will restrain methane molecules diffuse from hydrate phase to gas phase and slow the melting process, which can be considered as a possible mechanism of self-preservation effect. The performance of quasi-liquid layer is more crystal-like when the temperature is lower than the melt- ing-point of water, which will exhibit an obvious self-preservation. The self-preservation will weaken while the temperature is higher than the melting-point of water because of the liquid-like performance of the quasi-liquid layer.     

Time-resolved in situ neutron diffraction studies of gas hydrate: transformation of structure II (sII) to structure I (sI).

We report the in situ observation from diffraction data of the conversion of a gas hydrate with the structure II (sII) lattice to one with the structure I (sI) lattice. Initially, the in situ formation, dissociation, and reactivity of argon gas clathrate hydrate was investigated by time-of-flight neutron powder diffraction at temperatures ranging from 230 to 263 K and pressures up to 5000 psi (34.5 MPa). These samples were prepared from deuterated ice crystals and transformed to hydrate by pressurizing the system with argon gas. Complete transformation from D(2)O ice to sII Ar hydrate was observed as the sample temperature was slowly increased through the D(2)O ice melting point. The transformation of sII argon hydrate to sI hydrate was achieved by removing excess Ar gas and exposing the hydrate to liquid CO(2) by pressurizing the Ar hydrate with CO(2). Results suggest the sI hydrate formed from CO(2) exchange in argon sII hydrate is a mixed Ar/CO(2) hydrate. The proposed exchange mechanism is consistent with clathrate hydrate being an equilibrium system in which guest molecules are exchanging between encapsulated molecules in the solid hydrate and free molecules in the surrounding gas or liquid phase.     

A molecular dynamics study of ethanol-water hydrogen bonding in binary structure I clathrate hydrate with CO2

Guest-host hydrogen bonding in clathrate hydrates occurs when in addition to the hydrophilic moiety which causes the molecule to form hydrates under high pressure-low temperature conditions, the guests contain a hydrophilic, hydrogen bonding functional group. In the presence of carbon dioxide, ethanol clathrate hydrate has been synthesized with 10% of large structure I (sI) cages occupied by ethanol. In this work, we use molecular dynamics simulations to study hydrogen bonding structure and dynamics in this binary sI clathrate hydrate in the temperature range of 100-250 K. We observe that ethanol forms long-lived (>500 ps) proton-donating and accepting hydrogen bonds with cage water molecules from both hexagonal and pentagonal faces of the large cages while maintaining the general cage integrity of the sI clathrate hydrate. The presence of the nondipolar CO(2) molecules stabilizes the hydrate phase, despite the strong and prevalent alcohol-water hydrogen bonding. The distortions of the large cages from the ideal form, the radial distribution functions of the guest-host interactions, and the ethanol guest dynamics are characterized in this study. In previous work through dielectric and NMR relaxation time studies, single crystal x-ray diffraction, and molecular dynamics simulations we have observed guest-water hydrogen bonding in structure II and structure H clathrate hydrates. The present work extends the observation of hydrogen bonding to structure I hydrates.     

Melting and superheating of sI methane hydrate: molecular dynamics study

Melting and decay of the superheated sI methane structure are studied using molecular dynamics simulation. The melting curve is calculated by the direct coexistence simulations in a wide range of pressures up to 5000 bar for the SPC/E, TIP4P/2005 and TIP4P/Ice water models and the united-atom model for methane. We locate the kinetic stability boundary of the superheated metastable sI structure that is found to be surprisingly high comparing with the predictions based on the classical nucleation theory.     

The influence of SO2 and NO2 impurities on CO2 gas hydrate formation and stability

The sequestration of industrially emitted CO(2) in gas hydrate reservoirs has been recently discussed as an option to reduce atmospheric greenhouse gas. This CO(2) contains, despite much effort to clean it, traces of impurities such as SO(2) and NO(2) . Here, we present results of a pilot study on CO(2) hydrates contaminated with 1% SO(2) or 1% NO(2) and show the impact on hydrate formation and stability. Microscopic observations show similar hydrate formation rates, but an increase in hydrate stability in the presence of SO(2). Laser Raman spectroscopy indicates a strong enrichment of SO(2) in the liquid and hydrate phase and its incorporation in both large and small cages of the hydrate lattice. NO(2) is not verifiable by laser Raman spectroscopy, only the presence of nitrate ions could be confirmed. Differential scanning calorimetry analyses show that hydrate stability and dissociation enthalpy of mixed CO(2)-SO(2) hydrates increase, but that only negligible changes arise in the presence of NO(2) impurities. X-ray diffraction data reveal the formation of sI hydrate in all experiments. The conversion rates of ice+gas to hydrate increase in the presence of SO(2), but decrease in the presence of NO(2). After hydrate dissociation, SO(2) and NO(2) dissolved in water and form strong acids.     

Direct measurement of methane hydrate composition along the hydrate equilibrium boundary

The composition of methane hydrate, namely n(w) for CH4.n(w)H2O, was directly measured along the hydrate equilibrium boundary under conditions of excess methane gas. Pressure and temperature conditions ranged from 1.9 to 9.7 MPa and 263 to 285 K. Within experimental error, there is no change in hydrate composition with increasing pressure along the equilibrium boundary, but n(w) may show a slight systematic decrease away from this boundary. A hydrate stoichiometry of n(w) = 5.81-6.10 H2O describes the entire range of measured values, with an average composition of CH4.5.99(+/-0.07)H2O along the equilibrium boundary. These results, consistent with previously measured values, are discussed with respect to the widely ranging values obtained by thermodynamic analysis. The relatively constant composition of methane hydrate over the geologically relevant pressure and temperature range investigated suggests that in situ methane hydrate compositions may be estimated with some confidence.     

High-pressure transitions in methane hydrate

Three recent studies of the high-pressure transformations of methane hydrate [Chem. Phys. Lett. 325 (2000) 490; Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 97 (2000) 13484; Nature 410 (2001) 661] have reported apparently different behaviours. Detailed comparison of our X-ray and neutron diffraction data with those obtained in earlier work shows that there is in fact consistent behaviour on isothermal compression at room temperature with a transition from the clathrate I structure hydrate to a hexagonal hydrate with an unknown structure at 0.9 GPa.     

First principles molecular dynamics study of filled ice hydrogen hydrate

We investigated structural changes, phase diagram, and vibrational properties of hydrogen hydrate in filled-ice phase C(2) by using first principles molecular dynamics simulation. It was found that the experimentally reported "cubic" structure is unstable at low temperature and∕or high pressure: The "cubic" structure reflects the symmetry at high (room) temperature where the hydrogen bond network is disordered and the hydrogen molecules are orientationally disordered due to thermal rotation. In this sense, the "cubic" symmetry would definitely be lowered at low temperature where the hydrogen bond network and the hydrogen molecules are expected to be ordered. At room temperature and below 30 GPa, it is the thermal effects that play an essential role in stabilizing the structure in "cubic" symmetry. Above 60 GPa, the hydrogen bonds in the framework would be symmetrized and the hydrogen bond order-disorder transition would disappear. These results also suggest the phase behavior of other filled-ice hydrates. In the case of rare gas hydrate, there would be no guest molecules' rotation-nonrotation transition since the guest molecules keep their spherical symmetry at any temperature. On the contrary methane hydrate MH-III would show complex transitions due to the lower symmetry of the guest molecule. These results would encourage further experimental studies, especially nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and neutron scattering, on the phases of filled-ice hydrates at high pressures and∕or low temperatures.