Materal that ice will not stick to?

I am so frustrated with my (plastic) ice cube trays ;-). When I twist the
trays to get the cubes loose, the plastic cracks. I know that many
materials are hydrophobic -- but how about ice-phobic? Is there some kind
of material that you could make an ice cube tray out of that you could just
turn over and the cubes would fall out?

<[Only registered users see links. ]> wrote in message
news:NtTyf.20361$[Only registered users see links. ].prodigy.c om...
just

Ice will not stick to polyethylene (aka polythene), polypropylene, or
polytetrafluoroethylene (aka PTFE, Teflon).

If you are using commercially produced plastic ice cube trays you are likely
using one made of either polyethylene or polypropylene. The problem is not
'sticking' so much as atmospheric pressure - when you invert the tray the
weight of the ice cube produces a partial vacuum between itself and what is
normally the bottom of the mold (but which is now above the ice cube since
you inverted the tray.

Try this: First run a little hot tap water over the bottom of the ice cube
tray to warm the plastic, and let it sit for a minute. Then turn the full
tray of ice cubes only 90 degrees and twist lightly.


Tom Davidson
Richmond, VA

Dear dougwedel:

<[Only registered users see links. ]> wrote in message
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In addition to Tom Davidson's response:
- When ice forms on the top surface first, then down in the
body, it tends to "balloon out" the ice chamber. Meaning you
have to spring out the top to allow the ice to depart.
- When a tray has been used many times, the hardness in the
water will "plate" onto the plastic of the tray. The ice sticks
well to this roughened, hydrophilic surface.

Place one tray atop the other. You may notice that the lower
tray releases more easily.
Soak the trays in vinegar for an hour or so between uses. Ditto.

David A. Smith

"N:dlzc D:aol T:com (dlzc)" <N: dlzc1 D:cox T:[Only registered users see links. ]> wrote in
message news:mqWyf.9453$jR.2285@fed1read01...

Oh, darn, that's the answer I was going to give. Just the other day, I
noticed that an ice cube was 'too wide' to go back into the cell it had just
come out of.

What /is/ the word for a single compartment of an ice cube tray?

Dear operator jay:

"operator jay" <[Only registered users see links. ]> wrote in message
news:zlXyf.73$[Only registered users see links. ]...
....

They can also store additional stress, and get just a tad larger
when released from the tray...


Here is your big chance. I'd vote for "form" or "mold". I've
seen them referred to as "compartments".
[Only registered users see links. ]

David A. Smith

"N:dlzc D:aol T:com (dlzc)" <N: dlzc1 D:cox T:[Only registered users see links. ]> wrote in
message news:xxZyf.9479$jR.5370@fed1read01...

Alright. Thanks of course to yourself for the suffix and to the language
authority sniglets, cubelomold shall hereinafter be used. Strictly it will
mean the "compartment" of the LAST icecube in the tray (that someone was too
lazy to refill), but the more generic use will be recognized.


So, to remisquotinize the above:

"N:dlzc D:aol T:com (dlzc)" <N: dlzc1 D:cox T:[Only registered users see links. ]> wrote in
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"tadchem" <[Only registered users see links. ]> wrote in message
news:[Only registered users see links. ]. ..

So all you need to do is drill small holes in the bottom of the cube moulds,
that way the ice will not be held in by a vacuum
:-)