Effects of sodium tetraborate and boric acid on nonisothermal mannitol crystallization in frozen solutions and freeze-dried solids.

The purpose of the present study was to elucidate the effects of sodium tetraborate (borax) and boric acid on the crystallization of mannitol in frozen aqueous solutions and freeze-dried solids. Thermal analysis of frozen solutions showed that sodium tetraborate inhibits mannitol crystallization at sodium tetraborate/mannitol molar concentration ratios of approximately 0.05, which is much lower than the other co-solutes studied (boric acid, sucrose, sodium phosphate buffer).