Communication
The Coexistence of Two Different Methane Hydrate Phases under Moderate Pressure and Temperature Conditions: Kinetic versus Thermodynamic Products†
†
The Geotechnologien program of BMBF and DFG provided funding of this work through the Research Grant G0555A. This is publication no. GEOTECH-61 of the Geotechnologien program.
Graphical Abstract
The unexpected coexistence of structure I (s I) and structure II (s II) methane hydrates under conditions where only s I hydrates should be stable (see picture) suggests that the initial product is determined by kinetics. The state of coexistence as well as the transformation of the kinetic product into the thermodynamically stable s I hydrate was documented by microscopic visual observation as well as Raman spectroscopy.
