Trehalose solution viscosity at low temperatures measured by dynamic light scattering method: Trehalose depresses molecular transportation for ice crystal growth

The inhibitory effects of trehalose on ice crystal growth were discussed on the basis of the viscosity measurements of aqueous solutions via the dynamic light-scattering method. The temperature and concentration conditions of the solution were ranged between 268 and 343 K and up to 50 wt%, respectively, which were feasible for applying this novel technique and were useful in the indirect measurement of the macroscopic dynamic properties of the trehalose solutions. A comparison of the viscosity data with those reported in the literatures indicated the validity of this method for measuring the viscosity.The nonlinearity of the temperature and concentration dependences of the trehalose solutions suggested that two different hydrogen-bonding networks exist in the solutions within the investigated range. Dilute solutions of less than 10 wt% of trehalose exhibited properties very similar to those of pure water. Higher concentration solutions had large viscosities with large temperature and concentration dependences. This was caused by the decrease in the free water in the solution and the development of hydrogen-bonding networks with hydrated trehalose clusters. Sucrose and maltose solutions had the same properties, so this would be the dominant inhibitory process of disaccharides on ice crystal growth.