With optimal conditions can we supercool any compound or is it that just water and a certain set of others can be supercooled? If not, why?
Answer
Supercooling is a general phenomenon and it is not limited to any particular substance, although the degree you can supercool something will vary. The idea in thermodynamics is that at the melting point the free energy of the solid and the liquid is equal and a lower temperature will favour the formation of the solid.
However, when there is only liquid present, you will first have to form a small crystal nucleus which is not as stable as the bulk solid i.e. has a higher free energy. This is basically a kinetic barrier which prevents forming the solid.
The formation energy of such a nucleus will depend on the interfacial energy of the crystal-liquid system. In a substance where this interfacial free energy is very little there won't be too much supercooling.
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