FRAGILITY AND BIOPROTECTIVE EFFECTIVENESS BY ELASTIC NEUTRON SCATTERING

Neutron intensity elastic scans on trehalose, maltose, sucrose/H 2 O mixtures as a function of concentration, temperature and exchanged wave vector are presented. The experimental findings show a cross-over in molecular fluctuations between harmonic and anharmonic dynamical regimes. The “stronger” character of trehalose/H 2 O mixture indicates a better attitude in respect to maltose and sucrose/H 2 O mixtures to encapsulate biostructures in a more rigid matrix.