Rheological study of xanthan and locust bean gum interaction in dilute solution: Effect of salt

An oscillatory capillary rheometer was used to investigate the effects of NaCl, KCl, and CaCl2 on visco-elastic properties of xanthan and locust bean gum (LBG) blends in dilute solution. Gums were evaluated for intrinsic viscosity and elastic component. Molecular conformation of the xanthan–LBG complex was assessed by the power-law and Huggins equations. Addition of any of the three salts reduced significantly the intrinsic viscosity and elastic component of the gum blends, with a pronounced effect from divalent ions, compared with monovalent ions. The 60% xanthan–40% LBG blend exhibited the strongest attraction between xanthan and LBG. For the three salts, the attraction weakened when 5-mM salt was added and vanished with the addition of 50-mM salt. The strongest attraction between xanthan and LBG molecules was also evidenced by a positive Huggins miscibility coefficient Km, and a positive attraction–repulsion coefficient α. With addition of 50 mM of any of the three salts, the coefficient α became negative, suggesting a strong repulsion between the two gums. The power-law coefficient b increased as salt concentration and LBG fraction increased in the blends for the three salts, suggesting a more flexible xanthan–LBG complex dependent on salt concentrations and LBG.