Multifunctional Photo- and Magnetoresponsive GrapheneOxide–Fe 3 O 4 Nanocomposite–AlginateHydrogel Platform for Ice Recrystallization Inhibition

Tuning ice recrystallization (IR) has attracted tremendous interest in fundamental research and a variety of practical applications, including food and pharmaceutical engineering, fabrication of anti-icing coating and porous materials, and cryopreservation of biological cells and tissues. Although great efforts have been devoted to modulation of IR for better microstructure control of various materials, it still remains a challenge, especially in cryopreservation, where insufficient suppression of IR during warming is fatal to the cells. Herein, we report an all-in-one platform, combining the external physical fields and the functional materials for both active and passive suppression of IR, where the photo- and magnetothermal dual-modal heating of GO–Fe3O4 nanocomposites (NCs) can be used to suppress IR with both enhanced global warming and microscale thermal disturbance. Moreover, the materials alginate hydrogels and GO–Fe3O4 NCs can act as IR inhibitors for further suppression of the IR effect. As a ty...