Inhibition of Ice Recrystallization by Regulating the Surface Free Energy of Nanoparticles

Nanoparticles (NPs) have emerged as ice-control materials to prevent damage caused by low-temperature-induced ice crystals. However, the mechanism of ice recrystallization inhibition (IRI) of NPs is poorly understood. A thorough understanding of the relationships between the physicochemical properties of nanomaterials and their IRI ability remains to be established. In this study, we prepared a comprehensive library of NPs, including Stöber silica, poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA), and Au NPs with tunable physicochemical properties, and examined their IRI functionalities. The results revealed that the surface free energy (SFE) of NPs was closely related to their IRI ability, which was further supported by molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. Our findings highlight the critical role of nanomaterials' SFE in mediating their IRI activity, advancing the fundamental understanding of the mechanism underlying NP-controlled ice recrystallization. This study provides a novel design strategy for developing nanoparticles as ice-control materials.