Dynamics of lipid-saccharide nanoparticles by quasielastic neutron scattering

The measurements were performed at room temperature on lyophilized and H2O hydrated nanoparticles (h = 0.47 w H2O/w hydrated sample). In the latter, hydration water is mostly enclosed inside the nanoparticles; its dynamics is similar to that of bulk water but with a significant decrease in diffusivity. The scattering from the nanoparticles can be described by a simple model of confined diffusion. In the lyophilized state only hydrogens belonging to the polar heads are seen as mobile within the experimental time-window. In the hydrated sample the diffusive dynamics involves also a significant part of the hydrogens in the lipid tails.