Dynamical behavior of highly concentrated trehalose water solutions: a dielectric spectroscopy study

Trehalose solutions were investigated by means of broadband dielectric spectroscopy at different water contents, ranging from an anhydrous sample to w(C) = 40%. While the structural α-relaxation was detectable only in the low hydration and dry samples, and in a quite limited range of temperatures, two secondary processes were presented and characterized in all the solutions investigated. In particular, the fastest secondary process displayed a characteristic behavior widely observed in other small organic glass formers. It had an Arrhenius-like temperature dependence, it sped up and increased the dielectric strength when adding water and finally it possessed an activation energy compatible with the breaking/formation of two hydrogen bonds. From all these indications it was plausible to attribute it to water dipole reorientation dynamics. The slower secondary process was again well described by an Arrhenius-like function, now the relaxation time at high temperature was only slightly dependent on the exact water amount but the activation energy was markedly dependent on it. The molecular origin of this process was tentatively attributed to the motion of the entire molecule involving rotation of the two monosugar rings around the glycosidic bond.