title: Guar gum and scleroglucan interactions with borax: experimental and theoretical studies of an unexpected similarity.
abstract: Guar gum is a galactomannan that assumes a very flexible conformation in solution, while Scleroglucan is a very rigid polysaccharide that dissolves in water as triple helices. Both polymers can form gels in the presence of borax. Despite their structural differences, the freeze-dried gel systems of both polymers, when compressed to form tablets, show a peculiar anisotropic swelling in water that reflects an amazing similarity in terms of their molecular properies. In this paper the behavior of the Guar/borax gel is compared with that of Scleroglucan/borax. The macroscopic properties of the two systems were characterized in terms of rheological measurements. Atomic force microscopy images and molecular dynamics simulation allowed to evaluate, at molecular level, the effect of borax addition to the Guar polymer. Both experiments show that an increasing of the polymer rigidity is produced by borax. The role played by galactose in the side chain was also discussed.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Chimiche, Università di Roma Tor Vergata, Via della Ricerca Scientifica, 00133 Roma, Italy.
authors.forename: Gianfranco
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bocchinfuso
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mazzuca
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sandolo
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Margheritelli
authors.forename: Franco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Alhaique
authors.forename: Tommasina
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Coviello
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Palleschi
mesh_terms: D001881:Borates / Q000737:chemistry*; D005685:Galactans / Q000737:chemistry*; D005936:Glucans / Q000737:chemistry*; D020100:Hydrogels / Q000737:chemistry*; D008351:Mannans / Q000737:chemistry*; D008968:Molecular Conformation; D056004:Molecular Dynamics Simulation; D053149:Plant Gums / Q000737:chemistry*; D012212:Rheology; D013607:Tablets / Q000737:chemistry; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D001881:Borates; D005685:Galactans; D005936:Glucans; D020100:Hydrogels; D008351:Mannans; D053149:Plant Gums; D013607:Tablets; D014867:Water; C018851:borax; C045938:scleroglucan; C007894:guar gum