Ice strengthening resulted from joint addition of polyvinyl alcohol and superfine silica nanoparticles

The results of ice hardening by doping with polyvinyl alcohol at concentrations ranging from 3 $\cdot$ 10$^{-3}$ to 1.5 wt.% and ultradisperse ($\sim$10 nm) silica nanoparticles at concentrations of 3 $\cdot$ 10$^{-1}$ wt.%, introduced separately and jointly into distilled water prior to crystallization, are presented. The concentration dependences of peak stresses, inelastic deformation and fracture work were established by the uniaxial compression method. The combined effect of the two types of impurity had a stronger effect than the effect of each of them separately.