PRIMARY ICE PHASE FIELD IN H2O-NACL-DIMETHYL SULFOXIDE TERNARY-SYSTEM

The determination and application of H2O-NaCl-cryoprotective agent phase diagram information appears to be a fruitful area for co-operative research between materials scientists and biologists. Dimethyl sulphoxide (DMSO) is a widely used cryoprotective agent, and in this present work the primary ice phase field in the H2O-NaCl-DMSO system has been determined including the extension into this system of the lines of two-fold saturation from the ice-NaCl · 2H2O and the ice-DMSO · 3H2O binary eutectics. Liquidus surface data are presented for isoplethal sections taken through the ternary system along composition lines defined by weight ratios of DMSO to NaCl of 1/5, 1/2 and 9. Liquidus surface data obtained from an additional thirteen isoplethal sections are used to construct the complete isothermal projections of the primary ice phase field along 10° C contours. The distribution and occurrence of glassy phases in this ternary system are also discussed. © 1978 Chapman and Hall Ltd.