An experimental study of ice formation in high voltage electric field

Ice formed inside or outside cells has been proved to be the main factor of cryoinjury to cells during cryopreservation. To reduce or eliminate the ice formation has been the main topic of cryobiology. A high voltage DC electric field together with cryomicroscopic stage is used in this study. DMSO and NaCl solutions are tested under different cooling rate and different electric field strength ranging from 83kV/m to 320kV/m. The crystal growth procedure is caught by a video camera and then transferred to digital images which can be treated by computer. The morphology of the solidified samples is found obviously influenced by electric field. The dendritic ice crystals become more asymmetric as the electric field going up when the DMSO solutions are tested. For NaCl solution that is said as an ionic solution, this shape change of ice crystal seems more obviously.