Strength measurements on ice + MP6 mixtures of varying composition (horizontal axis) emphasizing the weakening effect of MP6. The four colors indicate four different tempertures. The higher the value on the y axis, the weaker the ice. Arrows on the y axis give the strength of pure ice. Symbols on the plot are actual measurements made in the ice creep rig; the lines are interpolation/extrapolation. Even at small amounts of MP6, volume fraction <0.1, the weakening effect is huge, especially at warmer temperatures [Lenferink et al., 2013].
Cyrogenic scanning election microscope images of two different 10% MP6 samples showing the overall textural uniformity within a single sample (panel a) as well as between samples (panel a vs. panel b). The MP6 phase is the light colored material standing high in relief relative to the grains of ice. Note how the MP6 seems to coat every ice grain; this is an unusual texture in non-molten geological materials. A single representative ice grain from sample 642 is enlarged in c, showing it to be essentially free of MP6 inclusions.