Dynamical mechanism of antifreeze proteins to prevent ice growth

B. Kutschan, K. Morawetz, and S. Thoms
Phys. Rev. E 90, 022711 – Published 13 August 2014

Abstract

The fascinating ability of algae, insects, and fishes to survive at temperatures below normal freezing is realized by antifreeze proteins (AFPs). These are surface-active molecules and interact with the diffusive water-ice interface thus preventing complete solidification. We propose a dynamical mechanism on how these proteins inhibit the freezing of water. We apply a Ginzburg-Landau-type approach to describe the phase separation in the two-component system (ice, AFP). The free-energy density involves two fields: one for the ice phase with a low AFP concentration and one for liquid water with a high AFP concentration. The time evolution of the ice reveals microstructures resulting from phase separation in the presence of AFPs. We observed a faster clustering of pre-ice structure connected to a locking of grain size by the action of AFP, which is an essentially dynamical process. The adsorption of additional water molecules is inhibited and the further growth of ice grains stopped. The interfacial energy between ice and water is lowered allowing the AFPs to form smaller critical ice nuclei. Similar to a hysteresis in magnetic materials we observe a thermodynamic hysteresis leading to a nonlinear density dependence of the freezing point depression in agreement with the experiments.

  • Figure
  • Figure
  • Figure
  • Figure
  • Figure
  • Figure
  • Figure
  • Received 13 May 2014

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevE.90.022711

©2014 American Physical Society

Authors & Affiliations

B. Kutschan1, K. Morawetz1,2,3, and S. Thoms4

  • 1Münster University of Applied Science, Stegerwaldstrasse 39, 48565 Steinfurt, Germany
  • 2International Institute of Physics (IIP), Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Av. Odilon Gomes de Lima 1722, 59078-400 Natal, Brazil
  • 3Max-Planck-Institute for the Physics of Complex Systems, 01187 Dresden, Germany
  • 4Alfred Wegener Institut, Am Handelshafen 12, D-27570 Bremerhaven, Germany

Article Text (Subscription Required)

Click to Expand

References (Subscription Required)

Click to Expand
Issue

Vol. 90, Iss. 2 — August 2014

Reuse & Permissions
Access Options
Author publication services for translation and copyediting assistance advertisement

Authorization Required


×
×

Images

×

Sign up to receive regular email alerts from Physical Review E

Log In

Cancel
×

Search


Article Lookup

Paste a citation or DOI

Enter a citation
×