November 20, 2012

Hold the Ice: Chemists Reveal Behavior of Antifreeze Molecules




NYU chemists have discovered a family of anti-freeze molecules that prevent ice formation when water temperatures drop below 32 degrees Fahrenheit. Their findings, which are reported in the latest issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), may lead to new methods for improving food storage and industrial products.

“The growth and presence of ice can be damaging to everything from our vehicles to food to human tissue, so learning how to control this process would be remarkably beneficial,” says co-author Kent Kirshenbaum, an associate professor in NYU’s Department of Chemistry. “Our findings reveal how molecules ward off the freezing process and give new insights into how we might apply these principles elsewhere.”