Abstract
The morphology of ice crystals in supercooled aqueous solutions of antifreeze glycoprotein (AFGP) in the range from −0.01 to −1.0°C was investigated by varying the protein concentration from 0 to 1.0 mg/mL. At around −0.4°C, we observed a new morphology of ice crystal at 1 mg/mL AFGP concentration. The ice crystal had multiple plates that grew radially in a plane. The tip of each plate crystal showed a faceted structure. Furthermore, at the same concentration, a fernlike stellar dendritic ice crystal, which looks like naturally formed snow crystals at around −14°C, was observed at −1.0°C. The ratio of the growth rates between prism planes in the presence of AFGP at −1.0°C may be similar to that achieved at around −14°C in natural atmospheric conditions.
