Directional freezing explained

Directional freezing freezes from only one direction.

Directional freezing can freeze water, from only one direction or side of a container, into clear ice.^{[1] [2] [3]}

Directional freezing in a domestic freezer can be done by putting water in a insulated container so that the water freezes from the top down, and removing before fully frozen, so that the minerals in the water are not frozen.^[4]

F Hoffmann La Roche AG, Roche Diagnostics GmbH has a 2017 directional freezing patent for drying solid material.^[5]

See also

• Aquamelt
• Beluga whale
• Clear ice
• Hydrogel
• Freeze-casting§Static vs. dynamic freezing profiles
• Molecular self-assembly

Further reading

• Zhang . Haifei . Hussain . Irshad . Brust . Mathias . Butler . Michael F. . Rannard . Steven P. . Cooper . Andrew I. . Aligned two- and three-dimensional structures by directional freezing of polymers and nanoparticles . Nature Materials . 1 October 2005 . 4 . 10 . 787–793 . 10.1038/nmat1487 . 16184171 . 2005NatMa...4..787Z . 26987500 .
• Arav . Amir . Natan . Yehudit . Directional Freezing: A Solution to the Methodological Challenges to Preserve Large Organs . Seminars in Reproductive Medicine . November 2009 . 27 . 6 . 438–442 . 10.1055/s-0029-1241052 . 19806511 . 9479359 .
• Munier . Pierre . Gordeyeva . Korneliya . Bergström . Lennart . Fall . Andreas B. . Directional Freezing of Nanocellulose Dispersions Aligns the Rod-Like Particles and Produces Low-Density and Robust Particle Networks . Biomacromolecules . 9 May 2016 . 17 . 5 . 1875–1881 . 10.1021/acs.biomac.6b00304 . 27071304 .
• Bahari . Liat . Bein . Amir . Yashunsky . Victor . Braslavsky . Ido . Directional freezing for the cryopreservation of adherent mammalian cells on a substrate . PLOS ONE . 15 February 2018 . 13 . 2 . e0192265 . 10.1371/journal.pone.0192265 . 29447224 . 5813933 . 2018PLoSO..1392265B . free .
• El Kadi . Khadije . Adeyemi . Idowu . Janajreh . Isam . Application of directional freezing for seawater desalination: Parametric analysis using experimental and computational methods . Desalination . December 2021 . 520 . 115339 . 10.1016/j.desal.2021.115339 . 2021Desal.52015339E . 239073390 .
• Zhang . Tongxin . Wang . Lilin . Wang . Zhijun . Li . Junjie . Wang . Jincheng . Single Ice Crystal Growth with Controlled Orientation during Directional Freezing . The Journal of Physical Chemistry B . 28 January 2021 . 125 . 3 . 970–979 . 10.1021/acs.jpcb.0c11028 . 33459018 . 2012.04183 . 227737465 .
• Ortner . Teresa S. . Bi-directional freezing affords elastic and durable artificial tooth enamel . Communications Chemistry . December 2022 . 5 . 1 . 50 . 10.1038/s42004-022-00663-x . 36697685 . 9814660 . 247924578 . free .
• Li . Xiaolong . Ling . Shangwen . Zeng . Li . He . Hanna . Liu . Xingang . Zhang . Chuhong . Directional Freezing Assisted 3D Printing to Solve a Flexible Battery Dilemma: Ultrahigh Energy/Power Density and Uncompromised Mechanical Compliance . Advanced Energy Materials . April 2022 . 12 . 14 . 2200233 . 10.1002/aenm.202200233 . 2022AdEnM..1200233L . 247100187 . en . 1614-6832.

Notes and References

1. Web site: What to Try When Directional Freezing Doesn't Produce Clear Ice . Alcademics . 12 October 2022.
2. Web site: What is Directional Freezing? . Alcademics . 12 October 2022.
3. Web site: Making clear ice at home with tap water and directional freezing . LiquorLabs.tv . 12 October 2022.
4. News: G. Clay . Whittaker . January 11, 2021 . How to Make Clear Ice at Home for Cocktails . 12 October 2022 . Men's Journal.
5. Web site: Dittrich . Jürgen . Ziegler . Günter . Directional freezing EP2877795B1 European Patent Office . . 13 October 2022 . en . 18 January 2017.