Spontaneous rotation of an ice disk while melting on a solid plate

Ice disks were released at the surface of a thermalised aluminium plate. The fusion of the ice creates a lubrication film between the ice disk and the plate. The situation is similar to the Leidenfrost effect reported for a liquid droplet evaporating at the surface of a plate which temperature is above the boiling temperature of the liquid. An analogy is depicted between the Leidenfrost phenomenon and the rapid fusion of a solid at the contact of a hot plate. Similarly to Leidenfrost droplet, we observe that, while the ice disks were melting, the disks were very mobile: translation and rotation. A hole was drilled in the plate and allowed the canalising of the melted liquid. Under these conditions, we discover that the rotation of the ice disk is systematic and persistent. Moreover, the rotation speed increases with the temperature of the plate and with the load put on the ice disk. A model is proposed to explain the spontaneous rotation of the ice disk. We claim that the rotation is due to the viscous drag of the liquid that flows around the ice disk. Published by AIP Publishing.