Shear flow in an ice layer between two sliding solids

Using molecular dynamics simulation, we analyze the shear flow in an ice layer between two solids. We use the Lennard-Jones interaction potential in order to study a generic situation. We find that the flow is localised in a narrow ‘flow channel’ in the middle of the ice layer; its width only slightly increases for larger ice layer thickness. The flow leads to an ordering of the ice adjacent to the wall into layers parallel to the wall, similar to the well studied case of liquid Lennard-Jones systems. Energy dissipation in the flow leads to a temperature increase in the flow channel that brings the ice towards and into the liquid-solid coexistence region. The viscosity of the ice decreases with increasing temperature. With increasing velocity, the viscosity sinks and the temperature increase becomes smaller. The ice-wall interaction influences the ice flow only marginally; for strong interaction (wetting), the flow channel width becomes slightly reduced and the viscosity enhanced.