Dynamics of trehalose molecules in confined solutions.
The dynamics of trehalose molecules in aqueous solutions confined in silica gel have been studied by quasielastic neutron scattering (QENS). Small-angle neutron scattering measurements confirmed the absence of both sugar clustering and matrix deformation of the gels, indicating that the results obtained are representative of homogeneous trehalose solutions confined in a uniform matrix. The pore size in the gel is estimated to be 18 nm, comparable to the distances in cell membranes. For the QENS measurements, the gel was prepared from D2O in order to accentuate the scattering from the trehalose. Values for the translational diffusion constant and effective jump distance were derived from model fits to the scattering function. Comparison with QENS and NMR results in the literature for bulk trehalose shows that confinement on a length scale of 18 nm has no significant effect on the translational diffusion of trehalose molecules.
Lelong
Gérald
G
Centre de Recherche sur la Matière Divisée, 45071 Orleans Cedex 2, France.
Price
David L
DL
Brady
John W
JW
Saboungi
Marie-Louise
ML
D002627:Chemistry, Physical / Q000379:methods*; D017666:Deuterium Oxide / Q000737:chemistry; D004058:Diffusion; D005782:Gels; D015394:Molecular Structure; D009502:Neutrons; D012542:Scattering, Radiation; D012822:Silicon Dioxide / Q000737:chemistry; D012996:Solutions / Q000737:chemistry*; D013696:Temperature; D014199:Trehalose / Q000737:chemistry*; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry
D005782:Gels; D012996:Solutions; D014867:Water; D012822:Silicon Dioxide; D014199:Trehalose; D017666:Deuterium Oxide