Ice-binding proteins and bioinspired synthetic mimics in non-physiological environments

Ice-binding proteins (IBPs) are produced by a variety of organisms to prevent internal damage caused by ice crystal growth. Synthetic analogs are being designed to mimic beneficial properties of IBPs while mitigating drawbacks related to the use of biological proteins. While a multitude of engineering applications could benefit from the inhibition and control of ice formation and growth, synthetic analogs tend to be less potent than biological IBPs, and both IBPs and synthetic analogs tend to exhibit lower performance in non-physiological (i.e., non-biological) solutions. This review examines the ice interaction properties and performance of IBPs and their synthetic analogs in non-physiological environments. Common methods to measure ice interactions are discussed (i.e., thermal hysteresis, ice recrystallization inhibition, ice growth rate, and ice nucleation). A quantitative meta-analysis of material performance in non-physiological environments is presented, along with a discussion of future research directions. The findings presented herein can inform IBP and synthetic mimic selection to control ice interactions in a wide variety of materials science and engineering applications, including cell, tissue, and organ cryopreservation, food storage and transport, freeze-thaw damage of cementitious materials, and anti-icing surfaces for aerospace vehicles, solar panels, and wind turbines.