From clusters to condensed phase - FT IR studies of water

Intermolecular hydrogen bonding, which is formed between water molecules in the condensed state, causes a variety of unique properties of liquid water. In this paper the results of experimental FT IR studies of water trapped in an Ar matrix as well as condensed water at temperatures from 133 to 293 K are presented. It is shown that the temperature evolution of the FTIR-spectra of water trapped in low-temperature matrices can be considered as an experimental model of the structure transformation of water during the phase transition from gas phase to condensed confined water. The comparison of the vibrational spectra of water in matrix isolation with the corresponding spectra of condensed water gives information about the peculiarities of H-bonded structures of water.