[論文レビュー] Thermodynamic principles of emerging cryopreservation technologies

Matthew J. Powell‐Palm, Anthony N. Consiglio|arXiv (Cornell University)|Jan 18, 2026

Reproductive Biology and Fertility被引用数 0

ひとこと要約

Chapter develops a unified thermodynamic framework to analyze equilibrium-, kinetics-, and transport-driven cryopreservation technologies and reviews the state of the art through this lens.

ABSTRACT

Modern cryopreservation exists at the convergence of diverse disciplines--materials science, physical chemistry, mechanical engineering, biological engineering, etc.--and emerging technologies often draw from many of these disciplines simultaneously. Thermodynamics, as one of the foundational theories underlying both physical and biological science, provides a framework through which to understand these interdisciplinary technologies, yet the full kit of requisite thermodynamic tools is not housed within any one discipline. This Chapter aims to articulate a foundational thermodynamic approach to the description, interrogation, and design of modern cryopreservation technologies, and to review the state of the art in emerging cryopreservation technologies through the lens of this approach. We focus in particular on the management of phase change across equilibrium-driven techniques (e.g., liquidus tracking, partial freezing, isochoric freezing), kinetics-driven techniques (e.g. supercooling, ice seeding), and transport-driven techniques (e.g. directional freezing, droplet approaches), and we hope to equip the reader with a self-consistent theoretical toolkit that enables meaningful comparison of these techniques from a thermodynamic perspective.

研究の動機と目的

• Articulate a foundational thermodynamic approach to describe and design cryopreservation technologies.
• Unify analysis of equilibrium-, kinetics-, and transport-driven cryopreservation methods under Gibbsian thermodynamics.
• Provide predictive tools for phase behavior, nucleation, and transport effects in cryopreservation.
• Enable meaningful comparison of diverse technologies (e.g., liquidus tracking, partial freezing, isochoric freezing, supercooling, seeding, directional freezing).

提案手法

• Frame cryopreservation with chemical potential, phase equilibria, and Gibbs free energy.
• Utilize Gibbsian solution thermodynamics to model water/ice in solution with cryoprotectants.
• Present and compare ideal, size-dependent ideal (SIS), and osmotic-virial solution theories.
• Derive phase coexistence and melting/gel points via Gibbs-Helmholtz relations and isochoric thermodynamics.
• Explain lever rule for phase fractions in both isobaric and isochoric contexts.
• Reference the SeaFreeze equation of state for water/ice and solution properties.
• Discuss equilibrium, nucleation kinetics (CNT), and transport-driven aspects as distinct but connected mechanisms.

実験結果

リサーチクエスチョン

• RQ1 How can Gibbsian thermodynamics unify the description of equilibrium, kinetic, and transport aspects of cryopreservation technologies?
• RQ2 What are the thermodynamic conditions (temperature, pressure, composition, or specific volume) that define phase equilibria and phase fractions in cryoprotectant solutions?
• RQ3 How do equilibrium models (liquidus, partial freezing, isochoric freezing) differ from kinetic approaches (nucleation, seeding) and transport-driven strategies (directional freezing, droplets) in their thermodynamic requirements and predictions?
• RQ4 What predictive tools can compare diverse cryopreservation techniques using a common thermodynamic framework?

主な発見

• Offers a self-consistent thermodynamic toolkit grounded in chemical potential, phase equilibria, and heat/mass transport for evaluating cryopreservation technologies.
• Shows how equilibrium-driven methods (liquidus tracking, partial freezing, isochoric freezing) rely on phase equilibria between water and ice.
• Connects kinetic approaches (supercooling, ice seeding) to nucleation and growth rates within the thermodynamic framework.
• Demonstrates how lever-rule analysis yields ice fraction predictions in both isobaric and isochoric systems.
• Illustrates how Gibbs-Helmholtz relations enable calculation of melting points, eutectics, and phase diagrams from pure-component data.
• Uses the SeaFreeze equation of state to compute chemical potentials and phase behavior for water/ice and cryoprotectant solutions.
• Advocates for predictive screening of multi-component CPA cocktails using osmotic virial and related models to handle non-ideal solution behavior.