Overview

• Researchers reported at ACS Fall 2025 that the material keeps water confined through freeze–thaw cycles without releasing meltwater.
• The gel is about 90% water, provides up to 80% of regular ice’s phase-change cooling, and maintains performance across repeated reuse.
• It can be washed with water or diluted bleach, customized into various shapes, and produced in 1‑pound slabs comparable to commercial cold packs.
• Intended to improve food safety, potential uses span seafood displays, broader food supply chains, medication transport, biotechnology, and cooling where water is scarce.
• The compostable, polymer-free gel avoided microplastic concerns; a small compost test improved tomato growth, and licensed technology still faces market, design, and scale-up hurdles before commercialization.