Properties of galactomannans and their textile-related applications-A concise review

Galactomannans are reserve carbohydrates in legume plants and are primarily extracted from their seeds. They contain galactose side chains throughout the mannose backbone and have unique features such as emulsifying, thickening, and gelling together with biodegradability, biocompatibility, and non-toxicity, which make them an appealing material. Guar gum and locust bean gum mainly are used in all galactomannan needed applications. Nonetheless, tara gum and fenugreek gum have also attracted considerable attention in recent decades. Despite the increased usage of galactomannans in the textile-related fields in recent years, there is no review article published yet. To fill this gap and to demonstrate the striking and increasing importance of galactomannans, a concise summary of the properties of common galactomannans and their comparisons is given first, followed by an account of recent developments and applications of galactomannans in the textile-related fields. The asso-ciated potential opportunities are also provided at the end of this review.

Automated summary

Galactomannans are naturally occurring polysaccharides extracted from legume plant seeds. They possess unique properties such as emulsifying, thickening, and gelling, as well as biodegradability, biocompatibility, and non-toxicity, making them an appealing material. Guar gum and locust bean gum are commonly used, while tara gum and fenugreek gum have gained attention in recent years. Despite increased usage in textile-related fields, there is currently no review article available. This review aims to fill this gap by providing a concise summary of galactomannan properties, comparisons, recent developments, applications, and potential opportunities in the textile industry.