Clathrate hydrates are ice-like inclusion compounds that are characterized by the inclusion of mostly apolar molecules in ice cages. Methane clathrates are found in huge quantities in permafrost and on the coastal ocean floor. They are energy-relevant, for example for the transportation of methane/natural gas in pipelines or for hydrogen storage. They are also relevant to the climate - as the sudden decay of methane clathrates represents a climate tipping point that would trigger massive global warming (“clathrate gun”). We focus on the different cages and crystal structures, as well as the factors that control the formation, stability and decay of clathrate hydrates, in particular the elucidation of the phenomenon of anomalous self-preservation.
