Semi-dilute galactomannan solutions: observations on viscosity scaling behavior of guar gum

Based on experimental work involving evaluation of viscosity enhancement of aqueous solutions by high molecular weight guar gum, we have observed that the shear viscosity scaling exponent b for semi-dilute solutions, ηsp ~ (c[η])(b), is sensitive to molecular weight, being approximately 4.7 for native samples and decreasing progressively as Mw is lowered. The critical overlap parameter demarcating the dilute and semi-dilute regimes also depends on the molecular weight as (c[η])* ~Mw(-0.82). Consequently, viscosity-concentration plots fail to achieve overlap using only specific viscosity and overlap concentration as reducing variables, a commonly accepted empiricism for random-coil polysaccharides. To bridge the gap, we propose to account for water solubility, its temperature dependence and the resulting chain flexibility as additional factors to fully describe the solution behavior of these highly-important raw materials.