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Yield stress and rheology of a self-associating chitosan solution

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Abstract

We report that aqueous solutions of high molecular weight chitosan display a regime of shear thinning at low shear rates that is consistent with the existence of an apparent yield stress. The concentration-dependent scaling of the apparent yield stress, σ0(c)~c2.8±0.2 in the concentration range c = 7.50–65.0 mg/mL, is consistent with a solution microstructure of fractal clusters. Dynamic light scattering measurements at high concentration indicate extremely slow microdynamics, consistent with the presence of a structured network or glassy fluid. At shear rates above yielding, a constant viscosity plateau was observed with concentration-dependent scaling below the gel point consistent with existing models of entangled and associating polymers. The addition of urea, a hydrogen bond and hydrophobic interaction disrupter, did not change the reported concentration-dependent scaling of the apparent yield stress or the plateau viscosity but did weaken the apparent yield stress magnitude by ~ 30% on average.

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Acknowledgments

The authors acknowledge Anton Paar for the availability of the MCR 702 Twin Drive rheometer through an instrument loan program.

Funding

Financial support for this research was provided by NSF (grant number NSF DMR 1408817).

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  1. Department of Chemical Engineering and Biointerfaces Institute, University of Michigan, NCRC B10-A151, 2800 Plymouth Rd., Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA

    Nina M. Gasbarro & Michael J. Solomon

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  1. Nina M. Gasbarro
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Correspondence to Nina M. Gasbarro.

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Gasbarro, N.M., Solomon, M.J. Yield stress and rheology of a self-associating chitosan solution. Rheol Acta 58, 729–739 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00397-019-01173-9

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