The liquid–glass transition in sugars: Relaxation dynamics in trehalose

The liquid–glass transition in the disaccharide sugar trehalose mixed with small amounts of water was studied with calorimetry, photon correlation spectroscopy, Brillouin scattering, dielectric spectroscopy, and rheology measurements. Trehalose is of particular interest among the sugars because of its importance in biology, biochemistry, and the pharmaceutical industry, due to its ability to protect organisms, proteins, or membranes during dehydration (anhydrobiosis). Preliminary results of these experiments are presented and compared with each other and with previously published data on this material.