title: A device for the rapid freezing of biological specimens under precisely controlled and reproducible conditions.
abstract: The construction and preliminary testing of a device is described which can be used to freeze biological specimens in any cryogenic liquid at temperatures down to the nitrogen freezing point (63 K) and which can operate in the pressure range 1.3 kNm-2 to 1 MNm-2. Ultra-rapid freezing can be carried out in a subcooled cryogenic liquid either hyperbarically or at atmospheric pressure. Slow freezing rates can be achieved by cooling the specimens in a controlled manner in the vapour phase above the liquid bath.
mesh_terms: D001274:Atmospheric Pressure; D004780:Environment, Controlled; D005615:Freezing; D006652:Histological Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation*