Raman scattering measurements on a floating water bridge

R C Ponterio (1) , M Pochylski (2) , F Aliotta (1) , C Vasi (1) , M E Fontanella (1) , F Saija (1)

1 IPCF - CNR Istituto per i Processi Chimico-Fisici
2 Faculty of Physics

It was observed that, when polarized by an intense electric field, water is able to self-arrange into macroscopic cylindrical wires that can hang up and remain floating against gravity. This phenomenon is now known as " water-bridge ". Several attempts have been made to give an explanation of this apparently unusual behavior of water. A number of experiments have been performed with the aim of probing any possible structural change of bulk water, after application of the electric field. None of the available findings looks at the moment conclusive. Here we report the results of the first Raman scattering experiment on floating water-bridges. The intermolecular OH-stretching band has been investigated and the results have been compared with those from bulk water. Some changes in the scattering profiles after application of the electric field are shown to have a structural origin. The bridges have been obtained, for the first time, in a vertical geometry and under application of an alternating field. The adopted geometry has allowed to reveal a clear asymmetry between opposite d.c. biasing, that can be related with the nature of the charge carriers.

Mots clés: Physical Sciences

R C Ponterio, M Pochylski, F Aliotta, C Vasi, M E Fontanella, et al.. Raman scattering measurements on a floating water bridge. Journal of Physics D: Applied Physics, 2010, 43 (17), pp.175405. ⟨10.1088/0022-3727/43/17/175405⟩. ⟨hal-00569592⟩