Influence of hydroxyapatite nanoparticles on the viscosity of dimethyl sulfoxide–H2O–NaCl and glycerol–H2O–NaCl ternary systems at subzero temperatures

Abstract

The viscosity, at subzero temperatures, of ternary solutions commonly used in cryopreservation is tremendously important for understanding ice formation and molecular diffusion in biopreservation. However, this information is scarce in the literature. In addition, to the best of our knowledge, the effect of nanoparticles on the viscosity of these solutions has not previously been reported. The objectives of this study were thus: (i) to systematically measure the subzero viscosity of two such systems, dimethyl sulfoxide (Me2SO)–H2O–NaCl and glycerol–H2O–NaCl; (ii) to explore the effect of hydroxyapatite (HA) nanoparticles on the viscosity; and (iii) to provide models that precisely predict viscosity at multiple concentrations of cryoprotective agent (CPA) in saline solutions at subzero temperatures. Our experiments were performed in two parts. We first measured the viscosity at multiple CPA concentrations [0.3–0.75 (w/w)] in saline solution with and without nanoparticles at subzero temperatures (0 to −30°C). The data exhibited a good fit to the Williams–Landel–Ferry (WLF) equation. We then measured the viscosity of residual unfrozen ternary solutions with and without nanoparticles during equilibrium freezing. HA nanoparticles made the solution more viscous, suggesting applications for these nanoparticles in preventing cell dehydration, ice nucleation, and ice growth during freezing and thawing in cryopreservation.