Anti-freezing behaviour is the ability of a material or a solution to remain functional below the freezing point of water, and in soft materials it is usually achieved with a cryoprotectant or a mixed solvent. Adding a salt, a polyol, or an organic solvent lowers the freezing point and disrupts the growth of ice crystals [1]. An organohydrogel replaces part of the water with glycerol or ethylene glycol, which lowers the freezing point and keeps the ionic conductivity usable at sub-zero temperatures [2]. This matters for flexible sensors and for batteries that must operate outdoors in winter [3]. A second route is to introduce an antifreeze protein or a zwitterionic group that inhibits ice nucleation rather than depressing the melting point [4]. The added solvent changes the mechanical properties and can evaporate over time, so the stability of the effect over repeated freeze-thaw cycles has to be demonstrated [5].
- cryoprotectant
- organohydrogel
- freezing point depression
- ice nucleation
- antifreeze protein
- sub-zero conductivity
- zwitterionic
References
- Sundaram, S.S.; Le, Q.B.; Choudhury, D.; Bridging the Gap in Cryopreservation: A Review of Cryoprotectant Innovation and Global Market Trends. Bioengineering 2026, 13, 557, 10.3390/bioengineering13050557.
- Hajalilou, A.; Liquid Metal–Polymer Hydrogel Composites for Sustainable Electronics: A Review. Molecules 2025, 30, 905, 10.3390/molecules30040905.
- Lee, M.; Choi, Y.; Bae, Y.M.; Nam, S.; Shin, K.; Stretchable and Shape-Transformable Organohydrogel with Gallium Mesh Frame. Gels 2024, 10, 769, 10.3390/gels10120769.
- Agrawal, A.; Hussain, C.M.; 3D-Printed Hydrogel for Diverse Applications: A Review. Gels 2023, 9, 960, 10.3390/gels9120960.
- Cheepa, F.F.; Liu, H.; Zhao, G.; The Natural Cryoprotectant Honey for Fertility Cryopreservation. Bioengineering 2022, 9, 88, 10.3390/bioengineering9030088.