Understanding hydration water at pectin-aqueous glycerol interfaces

Pectin is a common plant block copolymer, which exhibits unique viscoelastic properties shaped by its structural conformation through interactions with the solvent, in this case water and glycerol. This study investigates how a co-solvent, i.e., glycerol, influences hydration water at the pectin-solvent interface using quasi-elastic neutron scattering across varying solvent compositions. This polymer's distinctive 'bottlebrush' structure also offers valuable insights that can extend our understanding of other 'goopy' biopolymers like mucins which forms mucous. The results will guide the design principles for biomaterials and contribute to advancing our comprehension of biopolymer physics.