American scientists from the The University of California, Davis, has created a new type of ice, that leaves no residual water behind, but cools just like regular ice.
The scientists called their creation “jelly ice”. It can be used for cooling, then washed off, put back in the freezer and reused. This ice is 90% water and can be used to provide different forms.
“Compared to regular ice of the same shape and size, the cooling capacity of jelly ice is up to 80% — this is the amount of heat that the gel can absorb through a phase transition. And we can reuse the material and retain the heat absorption for several freeze-thaw cycles, so this is an advantage over conventional ice”, — explains one of the researchers Jiahan Zou.
Zou was inspired to create the unusual ice by the large amount of ice, used at fish processing plants, creating a risk cross-contamination that can spread through meltwater. The research team began looking for solutions, that would help avoid the emergence of pathogens on the shelves of seafood stores.
Jiahang Zou came up with the idea of creating “jelly ice” while observing frozen tofu, which retains water inside but releases it when it thaws. The researchers were looking for a material, that would retain water even in conditions of phase transition. This material was gelatin — is a food-safe material used to make liquid desserts.
The long chains of gelatin proteins combine together to form hydrogels with tiny pores, that retain water. The first tests of hydrogels made from a natural polymer (or biopolymer) were promising. Water remained inside the gelatinous structure during freezing and thawing, preventing leakage. After years of research, the team developed a simple one-step process for making jelly ice.
The material can be used repeatedly by simply washing, freezing and thawing. At room temperature, it is soft and viscous, but when cooled below 0°C, it becomes hard and dense. It can be produced in the form of tiles weighing 450 grams.
Unlike regular ice, it doesn’t melt or puddle, which eliminates the risk of contamination and mess. It is reusable, so you just need to rinse it with water or diluted bleach. And, most importantly, it is fully compostable. Once composted, it has shown incredible potential to improve tomato growth.
In addition, this new material can be shaped to any shape and size and, because it is made from natural polymers, it does not contribute to microplastic pollution. At this point, jelly ice can preserve foods by keeping them cold and fresh during transportation without the use of regular ice or cooling packs.
Although licenses for the “jelly ice” technology have already been obtained, Zou notes that market analysis, product development, and large-scale production trials are still to be conducted before commercial sales can begin. Encouraged by the success of jelly ice, they are now exploring other natural biopolymers, including plant proteins such as soy.
Source: Interesting Engineering
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