Freeze Antifreeze with Liquid Nitrogen

Antifreeze is usually a mixture of water and ethylene glycol (or propylene glycol), which lowers the freezing point of the liquid. When placed in liquid nitrogen at –196 °C, it freezes quite easily.

1. Place a small sample of antifreeze in a cryogenic-safe container e.g. metal.
2. Wearing cryogenic gloves and safety glasses, carefully immerse the container into liquid nitrogen.
3. Observe whether the antifreeze freezes, thickens, or changes appearance.
4. Compare this with a sample of plain water exposed to liquid nitrogen under the same conditions.
5. Remove the antifreeze after a short time and observe how it behaves as it warms.

Is It Possible To Freeze Anti-Freeze? TKOR Finds Out What Antifreeze Does In Liquid Nitrogen - TKOR:

• Compare antifreeze with salt water to see how each resists freezing.

• Safety glasses required.
• Wear cryogenic gloves when handling liquid nitrogen.
• Use only in a well-ventilated area to avoid nitrogen gas buildup.
• Antifreeze is toxic - do not ingest or allow skin contact. Handle with chemical-resistant gloves if pouring or transferring.
• Dispose of antifreeze properly according to local hazardous waste guidelines.
• Never seal antifreeze in a container when cooling - expansion may cause it to burst.

• What ingredient in antifreeze lowers its freezing point?
• Why does liquid nitrogen sometimes thicken antifreeze instead of making it a solid block?
• How does freezing point depression relate to colligative properties of solutions?
• Why is antifreeze useful in car engines during winter?
• Would salt water or sugar water behave the same way when placed in liquid nitrogen?