VISCOSITY SENSING WITH LAMB-WAVE MICROSENSOR - DIMETHYLSULFOXIDE SOLUTION VISCOSITY AS A FUNCTION OF TEMPERATURE

Recently, a new microsensor employing low-velocity ultrasonic Lamb wav es was developed and demonstrated to be capable of measuring the visco sity of solutions in small volumes. The microsensor, when attached to a temperature-controlled stage, can measure viscosity as a function of temperature. In this investigation, the ultrasonic Lamb-wave oscillat or is employed to experimentally measure the viscosity of dimethylsulf oxide (Me2SO) solutions as a function of temperature. The microsensor and the experimental procedure are described and results for 1M, 3M, a nd 5M Me2SO aqueous solutions are presented. Dimethylsulfoxide is a co mpound commonly employed as a cryoprotectant in cryopreservation, the low-temperature preservation of biological materials. The temperature dependence of viscosity obtained through this study can be used in det ermining the probability for ice nucleation in biological materials, a parameter of importance during cryopreservation.