title: The control of ice crystal growth and effect on porous structure of konjac glucomannan-based aerogels.
abstract: Konjac glucomannan (KGM)-based aerogels were prepared using a combination of sol-gel and freeze-drying methods. Preparation conditions were chosen to control ice crystal growth and aerogel structure formation. The ice crystals formed during pre-freezing were observed by low temperature polarizing microscopy, and images of aerogel pores were obtained by scanning electron microscopy. The size of ice crystals were calculated and size distribution maps were drawn, and similarly for aerogel pores. Results showed that ice crystal growth and aerogel pore sizes may be controlled by varying pre-freezing temperatures, KGM concentration and glyceryl monostearate concentration. The impact of pre-freezing temperatures on ice crystal growth was explained as combining ice crystal growth rate with nucleation rate, while the impacts of KGM and glyceryl monostearate concentration on ice crystal growth were interpreted based on their influences on sol network structure.
authors: Glyn O. Philips Hydrocolloid Research Centre at HUT, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan 430068, China.
authors: Xuewen
authors: X
authors: Ni
authors: Glyn O. Philips Hydrocolloid Research Centre at HUT, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan 430068, China.
authors: Fan
authors: F
authors: Ke
authors: Glyn O. Philips Hydrocolloid Research Centre at HUT, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan 430068, China.
authors: Man
authors: M
authors: Xiao
authors: Glyn O. Philips Hydrocolloid Research Centre at HUT, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan 430068, China; School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
authors: Kao
authors: K
authors: Wu
authors: Glyn O. Philips Hydrocolloid Research Centre at HUT, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan 430068, China.
authors: Ying
authors: Y
authors: Kuang
authors: Glyn O. Philips Hydrocolloid Research Centre at HUT, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan 430068, China; School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
authors: Harold
authors: H
authors: Corke
authors: Glyn O. Philips Hydrocolloid Research Centre at HUT, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan 430068, China. Electronic address: JIANGFT@mail.hbut.edu.cn.
authors: Fatang
authors: F
authors: Jiang
mesh_terms: D003460:Crystallization; D005612:Freeze Drying; D005782:Gels; D005989:Glycerides / Q000737:chemistry*; D007053:Ice / Q000032:analysis*; D008351:Mannans / Q000737:chemistry*; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D044367:Phase Transition
chemical_list: D005782:Gels; D005989:Glycerides; D007053:Ice; D008351:Mannans; C048159:glyceryl monostearate; C022901:(1-6)-alpha-glucomannan
keywords: Freeze-drying; Microstructure; Size distribution