PHASE-TRANSITIONS OF AMORPHOUS SUCROSE AND FROZEN SUCROSE SOLUTIONS

Amorphous sucrose showed typical thermal transitions of amorphous materials. The temperatures of those transitions, glass transition, crystallization and melting, decreased with increasing moisture content. The glass transition temperature of dry amorphous sucrose at 57-degrees-C was decreased to -46-degrees-C as the sucrose was plasticized with excess water. That value remained constant due to maximal freeze-concentration with 72-73% sucrose in the unfrozen matrix which showed ice melting at -34-degrees-C. Concentrated solutions may become supercooled resulting in partial freeze-concentration with resultant lowering of glass transition temperature.