Hydrogels change water and solute dynamics
(PHYSorg.com Chemistry)

Hydrogels form tiny, water-filled pores with diameters so small that molecular-level studies can be difficult. Moreover, the motion of water molecules and dissolved ions is so fast that they are difficult to follow. Therefore, little is known about the dynamics of molecular motion within hydrogel structures. Researchers synthesized gel channels and resolved the motion in those channels. They found that molecular dynamics were much slower in hydrogel pores than what is commonly observed in bulk solutions. Within pores, the molecular motion of water was uniform no matter the location within the pore. However, the motion of dissolved ions was much slower close to the polymer fibers that form the pore structures.