Molecular mobility in a homologous series of amorphous solid glucose oligomers

► Phosphorescence from vanillin monitors dynamics in amorphous solid carbohydrates. ► Phosphorescence mainly quenched by secondary relaxations in carbohydrate glass. ► Dynamics varies with length in the homologous series glucose to maltoheptaose. ► Activation energies for quenching increase with temperature in the glassy state.