ISIS Neutron and Muon Source Data Journal
This is a page describing data taken during an experiment at the ISIS Neutron and Muon Source. Information about the ISIS Neutron and Muon Source can be found at https://www.isis.stfc.ac.uk.
Understanding hydration water at pectin-aqueous glycerol interfaces: Part II
Abstract: Pectin is a naturally occurring 'bottlebrush' plant polysaccharide, which exhibits unique viscoelastic properties shaped by its structural conformation through interactions with the solvent, in this case, water and glycerol. This study examines the impact of a co-solvent, glycerol, on hydration water at the pectin-solvent interface using QENS across varying solvent compositions. In our previous experiment at IRIS, we observed Q2-independent behaviour in pectin hydrated with 70 wt.% H20, indicative of localised, non-diffusive motions [please note, out of the 70 wt.% H20, 50% was tightly-bound (elastic) and 20% was intermediately-bound (quasi-elastic)]. Q2-independent behaviour was valid for hydrated pectins, both with and without the presence of d5-glycerol (H2O:d5-glycerol ratio was 20:80), and agrees with our results from MD simulations. Having resolved the high-glycerol limit, we now aim to investigate the complementary low-glycerol regimes (H2O:d5-glycerol ratio: 80:20/60:40/40:60), where MD simulations predict that glycerol penetrates the solvation shell of pectin and displaces water, with direct consequences for the polymer's structural conformation. Results will inform the design principles for advanced biomaterials and contribute to advancing our understanding of biopolymer physics. Pectin's distinctive 'bottlebrush' structure also offers valuable insights that can enhance our knowledge of other 'bottlebrush' biopolymers, such as mucins.
Principal Investigator: Dr Pallab Kumar Borah
Experimenter: Dr Ramya Koduvayur
Experimenter: Dr Lucas Kreuzer
Local Contact: Dr Mona Sarter
Experimenter: Dr Zihan Zhou
DOI: 10.5286/ISIS.E.RB2610207
ISIS Experiment Number: RB2610207
| Part DOI | Instrument | Public release date | Download Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10.5286/ISIS.E.RB2610207-1 | IRIS | 30 September 2029 | Download |
Publisher: STFC ISIS Neutron and Muon Source
Data format: RAW/Nexus
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Data Citation
The recommended format for citing this dataset in a research
publication is as:
[author], [date], [title], [publisher],
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For Example:
Dr Pallab Kumar Borah et al; (2026): Understanding hydration water at pectin-aqueous glycerol interfaces: Part II, STFC ISIS Neutron and Muon Source, https://doi.org/10.5286/ISIS.E.RB2610207
Data is released under the CC-BY-4.0 license.
