Glass-forming tendency in the system water-dimethyl sulfoxide

The glass-forming tendency on cooling and the stability of the wholly amorphous state on warming have been previously reported for many cryoprotective solutions. However, unlike the other solutions, those of dimethyl sulfoxide (Me2SO) have not been studied on cooling. In this paper, the glass-forming tendency of Me2SO aqueous solutions has been measured for solutions containing 40, 43, 45, and 47.5% (w/w) Me2SO. At a concentration of 45% (w/w), the glass-forming tendency decreases in the following order: levo-2,3-butanediol, 1,3-butanediol, 1,2-propanediol, 1,2,3-butanetriol, dimethyl sulfoxide, dimethylformamide, diethylformamide, 1,4-butanediol, ethylene glycol, glycerol, 1,3-propanediol. New measurements have also been made on warming the Me2SO solutions. (C) 2000 Academic Press.