Viscosity of guar gum and xanthan/guar gum mixture solutions

The viscosity of diluted guar gum solutions and the viscosity of xanthan and guar gum mixture solutions have been studied. Guar gum solutions showed pseudoplastic behaviour. Apparent viscosity increased with gum concentration and decreased with the temperature at which viscosity was measured. A maximum in the plot of viscosity versus increasing dissolution temperature was observed at 60 °C. This behaviour was related to differences in molecular structure of the polymers solved at different temperatures. Mixtures of xanthan and guar gum showed a higher combined viscosity than that occurring in each separate gum. This synergistic interaction was affected by the gum ratio in the mixture and dissolution temperature of both gums. The effect of polysaccharide concentration (1.0, 1.5 and 2.0 kg m−3), xanthan/guar gum ratio (1/5, 4/2, 3/3, 4/2 and 5/1) and dissolution temperature (25, 40, 60 and 80 °C for both gums) on the viscosity of solutions of mixtures were studied. The highest viscosities were observed when 2.0 kg m−3 gum concentration was used together with a ratio of xanthan/guar gum of 3/3 (w/w) and dissolution temperature of 40 and 80 °C for xanthan and guar gum, respectively. © 2000 Society of Chemical Industry