Polysaccharides elasticity

Marszalek PE, Oberhauser AF, Pang YP and Fernandez JM (1998) Polysaccharide elasticity governed by chair-boat transitions of the glucopyranose ring. Nature, 396 661-4 Marx-Figini M (1969) On the biosynthesis of cellulose in higher and lower plants. In Marchessault RH (ed), Proceedings of 6th cellulose conference. WUey, New York Mason DC (ed) (1975) Sawmill Techniques for Southeast Asia. Miller Freeman, San Francisco... 

P. E. Marszalek, A. F. Oberhauser, Y. P. Pang J. M. Fernandez. Polysaccharide elasticity governed by chair-boat transitions of the glucop)franose ring. Nature, 1998, 396, 661-664. 

Tamarind kernel powder is insoluble in cold water, but upon heating forms thick viscous coUoidal dispersions at relatively low concentrations (2—3%). Upon drying, elastic films are formed. Tamarind seed polysaccharide is used as a low cost textile sizing agent in India. 

Many microbial polysaccharides show pseudoplastic flow, also known as shear thinning. When solutions of these polysaccharides are sheared, the molecules align in the shear field and the effective viscosity is reduced. This reduction of viscosity is not a consequence of degradation (unless the shear rate exceeds 105 s 1) since the viscosity recovers immediately when die shear rate is decreased. This combination of viscous and elastic behaviour, known as viscoelasticity, distinguishes microbial viscosifiers from solutions of other thickeners. Examples of microbial viscosifiers are ... 

High polymer calculations can be performed on polysaccharides. Calculation of unit cell translation vectors (15), heats of polymerization (15), and elastic moduli (16) can readily be done. The accuracy of such calculations is the same as that of equivalent molecular species. A limitation of elastic moduli calculations is that the polymer is assumed to be 100% ordered, a state not commonly found in polysaccharides. 

Some fermentation broths are non-Newtonian due to the presence of microbial mycelia or fermentation products, such as polysaccharides. In some cases, a small amount of water-soluble polymer may be added to the broth to reduce stirrer power requirements, or to protect the microbes against excessive shear forces. These additives may develop non-Newtonian viscosity or even viscoelasticity of the broth, which in turn will affect the aeration characteristics of the fermentor. Viscoelastic liquids exhibit elasticity superimposed on viscosity. The elastic constant, an index of elasticity, is defined as the ratio of stress (Pa) to strain (—), while viscosity is shear stress divided by shear rate (Equation 2.4). The relaxation time (s) is viscosity (Pa s) divided by the elastic constant (Pa). 

Non-reserve polysaccharides seem to function in biological tissues through the part they play in cohesion, the retention of water and salts, the physical organization, and the elasticity and general texture. Polysaccharide conformation and association, as well as chemical structure, are obviously involved in the control of such properties. The polysaccharide-polysaccharide interactions considered in this Section can be regarded (in the nomenclature of protein biochemistry) as showing secondary, tertiary, and quaternary structure.4W>2W8 The... 

Introduction. Today nitrocellulose is one of most important derivatives of cellulose used in industry and commerce, and a major product of the chemical industry. Its wide and manifold applications are due mainly to its extraordinary physical properties. Thus a protective coating of nitrocellulose varnish, a nitrocellulose film or a tube of smokeless powder — all are characterized by relatively high elasticity and mechanical strength. These properties are a direct consequence of the microstructure of cellulose, which is composed of highly oriented long-chain molecules of polysaccharide. Not only nitrocellulose, but also other derivatives of cellulose, such as other esters and ethers, demonstrate similar characteristics. 

In summary, the QCM-D technique has successfully demonstrated the adsorption of pectin on the BSA surface as well as determined the viscoelastic properties of the pectin layer. As pectin concentrations increase, the adsorbed mass of pectin estimated from the Voigt model show higher values than those estimated from the Sau-erbrey equation because the former takes into account the hydrated layer. But the similar increase of thickness of pectin suggests that the pectin chains form a multilayer structure. In agreement with our previous rheology results, the main elastic character of the pectin layer in terms of Q-tool software tells us the network structure of the pectin layer on the BSA surface. In summary, QCM-D cannot only help to better understand the polysaccharide/protein interactions at the interface, but also to gain information of the nanoscale structure of polysaccharide multilayers on protein surface. 

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