Water existing in the vicinity of polyelectrolytes exhibits unique structural properties, which
demonstrate key roles in chemistry, biology, and geoscience. In this study, X-ray absorption
and emission spectroscopy was employed to observe the local hydrogen-bonding structure
of water confined in a charged polyelectrolyte brush. Even at room temperature, a majority of
the water molecules confined in the polyelectrolyte brush exhibited one type of hydrogen-
bonding configuration: a slightly distorted, albeit ordered, configuration. The findings from …