Transport in amorphous solid water films: implications for self-diffusivity

Thermal desorption spectroscopy is employed to examine transport mechanisms in structured, nanoscale films consisting of labeled amorphous solid water (ASW, H(2)(18)O, H(2)(16)O) and organic spacer layers (CCl(4), CHCl(3)) prior to ASW crystallization (T approximately 150-160 K). Self-transport is studied as a function of both the ASW layer and the organic spacer layer film thickness, and the effectiveness of these spacer layers as a bulk diffusion "barrier" is also investigated. Isothermal desorption measurements of structured films are combined with gas uptake measurements (CClF(2)H) to investigate water self-transport and changes in ASW film morphology during crystallization and annealing. CCl(4) desorption is employed as a means to investigate the effects of ASW film thickness and heating schedule on vapor-phase transport. Combined, these results demonstrate that the interlayer mixing observed near T approximately 150-160 K is inconsistent with a mechanism involving diffusion through a dense phase; rather, we propose that intermixing occurs via vapor-phase transport through an interconnected network of cracks/fractures created within the ASW film during crystallization. Consequently, the self-diffusivity of ASW prior to crystallization (T approximately 150-160 K) is significantly smaller than that expected for a "fragile" liquid, indicating that water undergoes either a glass transition or a fragile-to-strong transition at a temperature above 160 K.