Doesn vitrified tissue crack at liquid nitrogen temperature ?
Currently, cooling of vitrified tissue much below cryoprotectant glass transition temperature (about -130°C) has resulted in cracking due to thermal stress (liquid nitrogen temperature is -196°C). It may be possible to find a way to eliminate this cracking, but cryonics research has been more focused on finding ways to economically store a patient at close to -130°C. Cracks are fewer and probably more easily repaired than ice crystal damage so even with liquid nitrogen temperature storage vitrification is a superior protocol.
Currently, cooling of vitrified tissue much below cryoprotectant glass transition temperature (about −130ºC) has resulted in cracking due to thermal stress (liquid nitrogen temperature is −196ºC). Cooling slowly enough could theoretically eliminate cracking, but such slow rates are probably too costly (months or years). It may be possible to find a way to eliminate this cracking, but cryonics research has been more focused on finding ways to economically store a patient at close to −130ºC. Cracks are fewer and probably more easily repaired than ice crystal damage so even with liquid nitrogen temperature storage vitrification is a superior protocol. A broken vase in many pieces is more easily repaired.
