Thermal expansion measurements of cryoprotective agents. Part I: a new experimental apparatus.

As part of an ongoing effort to characterize the mechanical behavior of biological tissues in the cryogenic temperature range, the current study focuses on the thermal expansion measurements of cryoprotective agents. This study focuses on the upper part of the cryogenic temperature range, where the cryoprotectant behaves like low viscous liquid at all practical cooling rates. For the purpose of this study, a new apparatus for thermal expansion measurements has been designed and constructed. Part I of this study (the current report) includes: a description of the new experimental apparatus, the techniques of operation, calibration, system validation, and a detailed uncertainty analysis. Part II of this study (the report following) includes thermal expansion measurements of the cryoprotectant mixtures DP6 and VS55, and comparison with data from the literature on DMSO solutions.