Positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy reveals changes in the DMSO–water microstructure in low concentrations of DMSO (1.8%, 2.0% and 10% v/v) that have a great impact on the cryoprotective effect during the cryopreservation of cells.

Network properties of ureasil-based polymer matrixes suitable for construction of amperometric biosensors were probed by positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy and swelling experiments. Temperature dependences of the ortho-positronium (o-Ps) lifetimes and their relative intensities were measured in a temperature range of 15-350 K. Glass transition temperatures and expansion coefficients of microscopical free-volume for the investigated polymers were determined. Differences in network behavior for the aged samples and the effect of chalcogenide (As2S3) particles on the free volume of ureasil network were observed. Swelling experiments using ethyl alcohol showed that the structure of the aged sample network had less swelling ability for the pure ureasil as well as composite. This suggests that the one of factors influencing swelling is the change of the basic ureasil network due to ageing. It is supposed that the network properties obtained by positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy and swelling experiments could be very helpful to understand better the bio-functionality of the constructed biosensor based on the ureasil-chalcogenide glass composite.

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