Effect of charge balancing cations on the viscoelastic and thermal properties of welan

Welan is a branched polymer in the gellan family of polysaccharides. It has good compatibility with divalent calcium ions with a potential use in cementing applications. It is also been utilized as an anti-washout material for underwater concrete placement. Herein, influence of divalent cations Ca2+, Ni2+, Mg2+, Zn2+ and Sr2+ on the gelling and thermal properties of welan have been investigated. The viscoelastic properties reveal strong gelation behavior that are stable up to 80 degrees C. Among all the five cations Ni2+, Ca2+, Zn2+ and Sr2+ are suited well, compared to Mg2+ ions, to promote favorable interactions among the welan chains leading to stronger junction zones and elastic moduli. The melting peak and enthalpy are dependent on the nature and size of the divalent cation. The outcome is deemed to aid to expand the welan utility in food and non-food applications.

Automated summary

Welan, a branched polymer in the gellan family, shows good compatibility with divalent calcium ions for potential use in cement applications. Study on the influence of different divalent cations on gelling and thermal properties of Welan reveals that some cations promote favorable interactions among the chains, leading to stronger junction zones and elastic moduli. This finding is expected to broaden the utility of Welan in both food and non-food applications.