Determination of the phase diagram of water and investigation of the electrical transport properties of ices VI and VII

The phase diagram of water near the ice VI-ice VII-liquid triple point and electrical transport properties of these ices have been studied by in situ electrical conductivity measurements in a diamond anvil cell. The obtained phase boundary between ices VI and VII and the melting curve for these ices are in accord with most previous results. The different properties and amount of orientational defects in ice VI and ice VII are associated with abrupt changes in conductivity when a phase transition from ice VI to ice VII occurs. The electrical transport mechanisms of these two ice polymorphs can be understood in terms of the conduction of the already existing ions and Bjerrum defects.