CHARACTERIZATION AND PROPERTIES OF GELLAN-KAPPA-CARRAGEENAN MIXED GELS

This paper concerns the properties of gellan and kappa-carrageenan mix tures in the dilute and semi-dilute regimes. For the purified K-forms of the two polymers at low polymer concentrations, a cooperative inter action between their ordered conformations is demonstrated from viscos ity measurements. At higher polymer concentrations a two-phase system is formed as shown from differential scanning calorimetry and rheologi cal measurements. From these data, it is concluded that the gellan and kappa-carrageenan mixed gel is a phase separated gel. The role of ion ic impurities (such as Ca2+ ions) on the position of the melting tempe ratures of the two phases is also discussed.