Microstructural free volume and dynamics of cryoprotective DMSO-water mixtures at low DMSO concentration

This work investigates the free-volume properties of the dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO)-water mixtures by positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy over a wide temperature range of 20-320 K. The processes of melting and solidification of the water, DMSO and the DMSO-water mixtures at 1.8, 2.0 and 10% vol. DMSO respectively were studied. It was found that the recrystallization during heating of the water-DMSO cryoprotective mixtures above 160 K at low DMSO concentrations is affected by the amount of DMSO in the mixture. The amount of amorphous phase formed during cooling influences the hysteresis between cooling and heating cycles which could be crucial for cell survival. Experiments also show the time dependence of crystallization which indicates that rapid heating can suppress this secondary crystallization which is undesirable during the cell thawing process. Similar concentrations of DMSO (1.8% and 2% vol. DMSO in water) where a 2% vol. DMSO mixture secures cell survival but 1.8 vol% does not, showed differences in structural and dynamic properties that are key factors in cell survival. These results were supported by differential scanning calorimetry and low frequency dielectric spectroscopy measurements. The obtained data are in strong agreement with the observed cryoprotective efficacy of the DMSO-water mixtures on living cells.