Rheology of concentrated xanthan gum solutions: Steady shear flow behavior

Using a strain-controlled rheometer, the steady shear flow properties of aqueous xanthan gum solutions of different concentrations were measured over a wide range of shear rates. In this article, both the shear rate and concentration dependencies of steady shear flow behavior are reported from the experimentally obtained data. The viscous behavior is quantitatively discussed using a well-known power law type flow equation with a special emphasis on its importance in industrial processing and actual usage. In addition, several inelastic-viscoplastic flow models including a yield stress parameter are employed to make a quantitative evaluation of the steady shear flow behavior, and then the applicability of these models is also examined in detail. Finally, the elastic nature is explained with a brief comment on its practical significance. Main results obtained from this study can be summarized as follows: (1) Concentrated xanthan gum solutions exhibit a finite magnitude of yield stress. This may come from the fact that a large number of hydrogen bonds in the helix structure result in a stable configuration that can show a resistance to flow. (2) Concentrated xanthan gum solutions show a marked non-Newtonian shear-thinning behavior which is well described by a power law flow equation and may be interpreted in terms of the conformational status of the polymer molecules under the influence of shear flow. This rheological feature enhances sensory qualities in food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic products and guarantees a high degree of mixability, pumpability, and pourability during their processing and/or actual use. (3) The Herschel-Bulkley, Mizrahi-Berk, and Heinz-Casson models are all applicable and have equivalent ability to describe the steady shear flow behavior of concentrated xanthan gum solutions, whereas both the Bingham and Casson models do not give a good applicability. (4) Concentrated xanthan gum solutions exhibit a quite important elastic flow behavior which acts as a significant factor for many industrial applications such as food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic manufacturing processes.

[1]  A. Giboreau,et al.  Rheological behaviour of three biopolymer/water systems, with emphasis on yield stress and viscoelastic properties , 1994 .

[2]  Howard A. Barnes,et al.  The yield stress—a review or ‘παντα ρει’—everything flows? , 1999 .

[3]  G. Holzwarth,et al.  Multistranded helix in xanthan polysaccharide. , 1977, Science.

[4]  Howard A. Barnes,et al.  Rotating vane rheometry — a review , 2001 .

[5]  Corneliu Balan,et al.  Pure Material Instability and the Concept of Yield Stress , 1999 .

[6]  E. C. Bingham.  Fluidity And Plasticity , 1922 .

[7]  Pierre J. Carreau,et al.  Rheology of Polymeric Systems: Principles and Applications , 1997, Engineering Plastics.

[8]  Joseph P. Remington,et al.  Remington's pharmaceutical sciences , 2016 .

[9]  Jason R. Stokes,et al.  Measuring the yield behaviour of structured fluids , 2004 .

[10]  A. Margaritis,et al.  Mixing, mass transfer, and scale‐up of polysaccharide fermentations , 1978 .

[11]  Q. D. Nguyen,et al.  Measuring the Flow Properties of Yield Stress Fluids , 1992 .

[12]  E. Morris,et al.  Molecular viscoelasticity of xanthan polysaccharide , 1983 .

[13]  M. A. Rao,et al.  Measuring yield stress of fluid foods , 1997 .

[14]  Howard A. Barnes,et al.  The yield stress myth? , 1985 .

[15]  J. Casas,et al.  Xanthan gum: production, recovery, and properties. , 2000, Biotechnology Advances.

[16]  I. D. Evans,et al.  Letter to the editor: On the nature of the yield stress , 1992 .

[17]  P. Williams,et al.  A rheological study of the order-disorder conformational transition of xanthan gum. , 2001, Biopolymers.

[18]  J. Rivas,et al.  Chemical and rheological properties of an extracellular polysaccharide produced by the cyanobacterium Anabaena sp. ATCC 33047. , 2000, Biotechnology and bioengineering.

[19]  C. Tiu,et al.  Steady and Dynamic Shear Properties of Aqueous Polymer Solutions , 1989 .

[20]  Winslow H. Herschel,et al.  Konsistenzmessungen von Gummi-Benzollösungen , 1926 .

[21]  Willie E. Rochefort,et al.  Rheology of Xanthan Gum: Salt, Temperature, and Strain Effects in Oscillatory and Steady Shear Experiments , 1987 .

[22]  J. Casas,et al.  Xanthan gum production under several operational conditions: molecular structure and rheological properties* , 2000, Enzyme and microbial technology.

[23]  J. Schurz.  A YIELD VALUE IN A TRUE SOLUTION , 1992 .

[24]  G. Thurston,et al.  Shear rate dependence of the viscoelasticity of polymer solutions.: II. xanthan gum , 1981 .

[25]  Jose A. Casas,et al.  Apparent yield stress in xanthan gum solutions at low concentrations , 1994 .

[26]  C. Tiu,et al.  Improved correlation for shear-dependent viscosity of polyelectrolyte solutions , 1993 .

[27]  S. Mizrahi,et al.  FLOW BEHAVIOUR OF CONCENTRATED ORANGE JUICE: MATHEMATICAL TREATMENT , 1972 .

[28]  C. Tiu,et al.  The shear-induced solid–liquid transition in yield stress materials with chemically different structures , 2005 .

[29]  F. García-Ochoa,et al.  Mass transfer coefficient in stirred tank reactors for xanthan gum solutions , 1998 .

[30]  G. Thurston.  Shear rate dependence of the viscoelasticity of polymer solutions.: I. Theoretical model , 1981 .

[31]  D. Pettitt,et al.  XANTHAN, GELLAN, WELAN, AND RHAMSAN , 1993 .

[32]  Gianni Astarita,et al.  Letter to the Editor: The engineering reality of the yield stress , 1990 .

[33]  M. Zirnsak,et al.  Steady shear and dynamic rheological properties of xanthan gum solutions in viscous solvents , 1999 .

[34]  J. Ahmed,et al.  Effect of high-hydrostatic pressure and concentration on rheological characteristics of xanthan gum , 2004 .

[35]  E. Foegeding,et al.  Measurement of the Yield Stress of Protein Foams by Vane Rheometry , 2000 .

[36]  H. Ramaswamy,et al.  Rheological properties of selected hydrocolloids as a function of concentration and temperature , 2001 .

[37]  P. Carreau,et al.  Rheology of concentrated poly(ethylene oxide) solutions , 1994 .

[38]  Sabrina Pricl,et al.  Rheology of Industrial Polysaccharides : Theory and Applications , 1995 .

[39]  Barbara Katzbauer,et al.  Properties and applications of xanthan gum , 1998 .

[40]  B. Launay,et al.  Concentration regimes in xanthan gum solutions deduced from flow and viscoelastic properties , 1986 .

[41]  Eric Dickinson,et al.  Microstructural evolution of viscoelastic emulsions stabilised by sodium caseinate and xanthan gum. , 2005, Journal of colloid and interface science.

[42]  T. Camesano,et al.  Single molecule study of xanthan conformation using atomic force microscopy. , 2001, Biomacromolecules.

[43]  R. K. Richardson,et al.  Non-linear viscoelasticity of polysaccharide solutions. 2: Xanthan polysaccharide solutions , 1987 .

[44]  J. Hartnett,et al.  Technical note: The yield stress—An engineering reality , 1989 .

[45]  C. Tiu,et al.  Rheological properties and some applications for rhamsan and xanthan gum solutions , 1996 .

[46]  R. Tanaka,et al.  Structural change of xanthan gum association in aqueous solutions , 2000 .

[47]  Christopher W. Macosko,et al.  Rheology of Xanthan Gum , 1978 .

[48]  Howard A. Barnes,et al.  A Brief History of the Yield Stress , 1999 .

[49]  T. Hatakeyama,et al.  Viscoelastic properties of xanthan gum hydrogels annealed in the sol state , 2001 .

[50]  David V. Boger,et al.  Yield stress measurements with the vane , 1996 .

[51]  H. Barnes,et al.  Modelling the flow behaviour of very shear-thinning liquids , 2001 .

[52]  Tadashi Yoshida,et al.  Annealing induced gelation of xanthan/water systems , 1998 .