The School of Physics and Astronomy has a requirement for a ‘High Pressure Vitreous Freezer’ (HPVF); this is a device that freezes samples to extreme low temperature at an exceptionally high rate to essentially ‘freeze a sample in time’.  If a sample is cooled at a slower rate ice may form within/on fragile samples (for example cells), which would swell/crystalise and destroy the nano/microstructure of the sample.  Freezing at an exceptionally high rate freezes the sample faster than ice can form, avoiding this issue.
This machine will be used for experimental sample preparation.