Graphene Oxide Restricts Growth and Recrystallization of Ice Crystals. Issue 4 (15th December 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Geng, Hongya; Liu, Xing; Shi, Guosheng; Bai, Guoying; Ma, Ji; Chen, Jingbo; Wu, Zhuangyuan; Song, Yanlin; Fang, Haiping; Wang, Jianjun
• Is Part Of: Angewandte Chemie international edition. Volume 56:Issue 4(2017)
• Page Start: 997
• Page End: 1001
• Publication Date: 2016-12-15
• Subjects: cryopreservation -- Gibbs–Thompson effect -- graphene oxide -- hydrogen bonds -- ice formation; Chemistry -- Periodicals; 540
• DOI: 10.1002/anie.201609230
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1433-7851

Abstract

Abstract: We show graphene oxide (GO) greatly suppresses the growth and recrystallization of ice crystals, and ice crystals display a hexagonal shape in the GO dispersion. Preferred adsorption of GO on the ice crystal surface in liquid water leads to curved ice crystal surface. Therefore, the growth of ice crystal is suppressed owing to the Gibbs–Thompson effect, that is, the curved surface lowers the freezing temperature. Molecular dynamics simulation analysis reveals that oxidized groups on the basal plane of GO form more hydrogen bonds with ice in comparison with liquid water because of the honeycomb hexagonal scaffold of graphene, giving a molecular‐level mechanism for controlling ice formation. Application of GO for cryopreservation shows that addition of only 0.01 wt % of GO to a culture medium greatly increases the motility (from 24.3 % to 71.3 %) of horse sperms. This work reports the control of growth of ice with GO, and opens a new avenue for the application of 2D materials. Abstract : Staying liquid : Graphene oxide (GO) exhibits a strong effect on shaping ice crystals, inhibiting ice growth and ice recrystallization owing to the preferential adsorption of GO on the ice crystal surface in great excess of liquid water. Moreover, the use of GO as a cryoprotectant opens new avenues for the application of 2D materials.