Title: Lifshitz interaction can promote ice growth at water-silica interfaces,
Abstract: At air-water interfaces, the Lifshitz interaction by itself does not promote
ice growth. On the contrary, we find that the Lifshitz force promotes the
growth of an ice film, up to 1-8 nm thickness, near silica-water interfaces at
the triple point of water. This is achieved in a system where the combined
effect of the retardation and the zero frequency mode influences the
short-range interactions at low temperatures, contrary to common understanding.
Cancellation between the positive and negative contributions in the Lifshitz
spectral function is reversed in silica with high porosity. Our results provide
a model for how water freezes on glass and other surfaces.