title: Rheology of sheared gels based on low acyl-gellan gum.
abstract: Sheared gels containing 0.2 wt% low-acyl gellan gum were prepared by different processing protocols using Na(+) or Ca(2+) as gel-promoting ions. Rheology and confocal laser scanning microscopy were used to gain information on the sample structure. Confocal laser scanning microscopy revealed the formation of a heterogeneous microstructure consisting of a dispersion of gel-like clusters. Small amplitude oscillatory shear stress results indicated that their viscoelastic properties had a predominant elastic component. Flow curves exhibited very high viscosities at low shear stress, an apparent yield stress and very shear thinning behaviour, supporting their applications as a stabilizer.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Ingeniería Química, Facultad de Química, Universidad de Sevilla, Sevilla, Spain.
authors.forename: M Carmen
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: García
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Ingeniería Química, Facultad de Química, Universidad de Sevilla, Sevilla, Spain alfaro@us.es.
authors.forename: M Carmen
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Alfaro
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Ingeniería Química, Facultad de Química, Universidad de Sevilla, Sevilla, Spain.
authors.forename: José
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Muñoz
mesh_terms: D005782:Gels / Q000737:chemistry*; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial / Q000737:chemistry*; D012212:Rheology; D014783:Viscosity
chemical_list: D005782:Gels; D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial; C048288:gellan gum
keywords: Sheared gels; gellan gum; non-Newtonian flow; rheology; viscoelasticity