Effect of polysaccharide stabilizers on the rate of growth of ice

Abstract
Measurements of the linear rate of advance of ice into undercooled aqueous solutions and gels have been made. The solutes consisted of sucrose with smaller quantities of other substances, mostly polysaccharides. The linear crystallization velocity in sucrose solutions is mainly governed by the rate of diffusion of sucrose molecules, and the addition of soluble polysaccharides causes only a small extra retardation. However, the growth of ice into undercooled sucrose solutions is drastically retarded and altered in morphology by the presence of a gel network. This effect is discussed qualitatively in terms of the interaction of the ice front with the gel fibres, which reduces the equilibrium freezing point and may lead to rupture of the fibres.

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