When oil and water were mixed under extreme pressure, the oil molecules were absorbed in the dissolution process . The researchers were able to dissolve water and methane into a small container under the pressure of the deep sea floor.
The latest experiments – detailed in Science Advances – may help scientists understand how chemicals react under extreme conditions, such as those found deep in the Earth’s interior earth or on other planets.
Methane is often used in experiments as a material with hydrophobic, oil-like molecules.
To achieve extremely high levels of pressure, the researchers squeeze the molecules between the avil points of two diamonds. Using this technique, the scientists achieved a high pressure of about 20000 Bars (pressure units), 20 times the pressure at the bottom of the Mariana Trench.
The researchers observed that the water molecules remained the same size under extreme pressure and the methane molecules became much smaller, allowing them to be absorbed.
“These exciting findings help explain how hydrophobic materials behave under high pressure, such as those found on the ocean floor or in the interior of planets.” University of Edinburgh researcher John Loveday said in a press release. “This could have many applications in areas such as replacing expensive and environmentally harmful solvents.”