Examples
When sucrose is cooled slowly it results in crystal sugar (or rock candy), but when cooled rapidly it can form syrupy cotton candy (candyfloss).
Vitrification can also occur when starting with a liquid such as water, usually through very rapid cooling or the introduction of agents that suppress the formation of ice crystals. This is in contrast to ordinary freezing which results in ice crystal formation. Additives used in cryobiology or produced naturally by organisms living in polar regions are called cryoprotectants.
Arctic frogs and some other ectotherms naturally produce glycerol or glucose in their livers to reduce ice formation. When glucose is used as a cryoprotectant by arctic frogs, massive amounts of glucose are released at low temperature and a special form of insulin allows for this extra glucose to enter the cells. When the frog rewarms during spring, the extra glucose must be rapidly eliminated, but stored. Arctic insects also use sugars as cryoprotectants. Arctic fish use antifreeze proteins, sometimes appended with sugars, as cryoprotectants.
One method of vitrification uses magnetic field to keep water fluent while supercooling it. When the magnetic field is turned off, the water will instantly freeze and ice crystal will not have time to form. The method was developed in Japan to preserve Sushi. Research into using the method for vitrifying organs for organs transplant is currently undergoing using the "Cells Alive System" produced by the Japanese company ABI. It has already proved to be useful for vitrification of teeth
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