Frozen State of Sephadex Gels of Different Crosslink Density Analyzed by X-ray Computed Tomography and X-ray Diffraction.

Water in Sephadex (crosslinked dextran) gels is known to indicate different freezing behavior which is dependent on the density of the crosslinks, and water in a Sephadex G25 gel remains partially unfrozen during cooling and crystallizes during rewarming. The mechanism of anomalous ice crystallization during rewarming is still unclear. The objective of this study is to observe the ice grains that form in Sephadex beads and to comprehend their frozen state with a focus on the ice crystallization during rewarming.