Effect of Cetyldimethylbetaine Molecules on Agglomeration and Growth of Ice

Certain surfactants with suitable brine, such as cetyldimethylbetaine with sorbitol, can inhibit agglomeration of ice particles and thus help disperse ice particles in ice/water slurries, and simultaneously reduce the drag of the slurry in pipes. In this study, the amount of cetyldimethylbetaine (surfactant) molecules remaining in the liquid phase of ice/water slurries was measured, and on the basis of these measurements, models explaining how cetyldimethylbetaine molecules affect ice to inhibit agglomeration of ice particles were proposed.