Superionic Ice

Source: sciencealert.com

Superionic ice is a solid and liquid at the same time. Currently scientist has categorized matter into three states, actually they have added another state called plasma. The traditional three states are gas, liquid and solids. The structure of the molecules and the effect of temperature are the primary thing which determines a substance's state. As the temperature goes lower, the molecules get closer together and their state changes from a liquid into a solid.

The idea of superionic water has been around for years, they believe it exists inside the mantle of the earth and other planets but no one was able to prove its existence.

Recently a group of researchers were able to create superionic water using a high pressure type of ice and a series of laser pulses. This enable the researchers to reach temperatures and pressures not normally attainable. In superionic water intense heat breaks the bonds between a water molecule's atoms and leaves a solid crustal structure of oxygen atoms with a layer of hydrogen nuclei between them. The oxygen atoms are in a solid state while the hydrogen ions are in a liquid state.

Source: sciencealert.com

A pressure more than a million times higher than on earth is exerted on the water by passing it through two diamond layers. This results in water that is a solid at room temperature. This ice was subjected to laser shock waves and the ice forms the superionic ice / water.