title: Rheology of mixed alginate-hyaluronan aqueous solutions.
abstract: The present manuscript addresses the description of binary systems of hyaluronan (HA) and alginate (Alg) in semi-concentrated solution. The two polysaccharides were completely miscible in the entire range of relative weight fraction explored at a total polymer concentration of up to 3% (w/V). The rheological study encompassed steady flow and mechanical spectra for HA/Alg systems at different weight fractions with hyaluronan at different molecular weights. These extensive analyses allowed us to propose a model for the molecular arrangement in solution that envisages a mutual exclusion between the two polysaccharides even though a clear phase separation does not occur. This result may have profound implications when combinations of alginate and hyaluronan are proposed in the field of biomedical materials.
authors.affiliation: Department of Life Sciences, Via Licio Giorgieri 5, University of Trieste, I-34100 Trieste, Italy.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Travan
authors.affiliation: Department of Engineering and Architecture, Via Valerio 10, University of Trieste, I-34100 Trieste, Italy.
authors.forename: Simona
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fiorentino
authors.affiliation: Department of Engineering and Architecture, Via Valerio 10, University of Trieste, I-34100 Trieste, Italy.
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Grassi
authors.affiliation: Department of Life Sciences, Via Licio Giorgieri 5, University of Trieste, I-34100 Trieste, Italy.
authors.forename: Massimiliano
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Borgogna
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical, Surgical, and Health Sciences, Piazza dell'Ospitale 1, University of Trieste, I-34100 Trieste, Italy.
authors.forename: Eleonora
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Marsich
authors.affiliation: Department of Life Sciences, Via Licio Giorgieri 5, University of Trieste, I-34100 Trieste, Italy.
authors.forename: Sergio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Paoletti
authors.affiliation: Department of Life Sciences, Via Licio Giorgieri 5, University of Trieste, I-34100 Trieste, Italy. Electronic address: idonati@units.it.
authors.forename: Ivan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Donati
mesh_terms: D000464:Alginates / Q000737:chemistry*; D020723:Glucuronic Acid / Q000737:chemistry; D006603:Hexuronic Acids / Q000737:chemistry; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid / Q000737:chemistry*; D012212:Rheology; D012996:Solutions; D014783:Viscosity
chemical_list: D000464:Alginates; D006603:Hexuronic Acids; D012996:Solutions; D020723:Glucuronic Acid; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid