Dynamic structuring of water at mesoscopic length scales in the presence of moderate high-voltage fields

Abstract: Understanding the behavior of water under moderate but technologically relevant high-voltage electric fields is important for biological systems, water-treatment technologies, and interfacial phenomena. Here, we investigate pure water exposed to non-homogeneous electric fields of approximately 106 V m-1 in a free-hanging horizontal electrohydrodynamic bridge. A regime commonly encountered in electrohydrodynamic devices and biological membranes. Using spatially resolved Raman spectroscopy we identify mesoscopic signatures, sidebands in the OH stretching region. These observations indicate dynamically ordered water domains whose properties differ from bulk water. The results provide new physicochemical insight into electrically stressed water and are consistent with mesoscopic ordering phenomena relevant to applied water systems.

Data set for:Fuchs, E. C., & Woisetschläger, J. (2026). Dynamic Structuring of Water at Mesoscopic Length Scales in the Presence of Moderate High-Voltage Fields. Water, 18(4), 493.https://doi.org/10.3390/w18040493 

Directory 'High_Speed_Schlieren'This directory contains images and an AVI file animation of the high-speed schlieren recording of a one-centimetre-long electrohydrodynamic bridge operating under a DC voltage of +16 kV and a current of 1 mA.

Directory 'Scattering'This directory contains several images showing the increased scattering of a laser beam when it is coupled into the bridge near the protonated water structures. The laser beam also reveals single droplets of water ejected by the charged water surface.

Directory 'Raman_Spectra'This directory contains data on all the Raman spectra discussed. The data are provided in two formats. The first is the MS Office format, with diagrams in the same format as those presented in the publication. The second is the file format used by the LaVision DaVis software.

Directories 'High_Speed_AC_DC_Visualisation' and 'Thermography'These directories contain high-speed and thermographic visualisations of electrohydrodynamic bridges operated using DC and AC high voltages at frequencies of 100 Hz and 450 Hz.