Rheology of natural thickeners

In general, polymer gels and networks can be divided into three categories according to the nature of the interactions between the polymer chains  

It is generally recognised that a further distinction can be made for polysaccharide networks and gels, namely [6,9]  

The above classification is based on the measurement of both steady and oscillatory rheological behaviour. This classification of networks and gels has been widely adopted by 

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The science of rheology encompasses the behaviour of both solid and liquid materials. This extends from a perfectly elastic solid, defined by Robert Hooke in 1678, to a perfectly viscous liquid, defined by Newton in 1687, and to the myriad of viscoelastic materials in between. The rheology of natural thickeners is primarily concerned with viscosity and viscoelasticity. 

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