Crystallization and vitrification of solutions with weak intermolecular interaction of the components

An experimental study of the phenomenon of cluster crystallization and vitrification of solutions with weak intermolecular interaction of the components was performed with use of a purposely developed method of microvolumetric scanning tensodilatometry. Volumetric effects accompanying cooling and subsequent heating of aqueous solutions of glycerol and dimethyl sulfoxide were recorded within temperature range 300...135 K, and they are completely in line with patterns of cluster crystallization. The same phenomenon was used to analyze the structure of amorphous fractions of such solutions. Formation inside of them of ice nanocrystals without breakage of hydrogen bonds between water molecules and molecules of cryoprotectant dramatically reduces stability of amorphous fractions. Based on the resulted tensodilatograms, state diagrams for solutions, which include cluster phase, were for the first time plotted.