Xanthan Gum-a lyotropic, liquid crystalline polymer and its properties as a suspending agent

Journal Article · Sun Aug 01 00:00:00 EDT 1982 · Soc. Pet. Eng. AIME, Pap.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2118/9097-PA· OSTI ID:6164471

Salamone, J C; Clough, S B; Jamison, D E; Reid, K I.G.; Salamone, A B

Studies a variety of xanthan solutions of various polymer concentrations in the presence and absence of various salts under a polarized light microscope (100X) in order to test xanthan gum for liquid crystalline order. Xanthan gum, a polysaccharide used in drilling fluids and in tertiary recovery, has relatively stable viscosity properties as a function of salt concentration, pH, temperature, and shear degradation. With solutions from 2 to 10% (wt/vol) xanthan gum in distilled water at room temperature, birefringent, ordered domains were observed at 10% concentration, with a decrease in birefringence as the polymer concentration decreased. When the xanthan solution is sheared between a glass slide and a cover slip, the optic axis (chain direction) aligns using the shear direction (as determined by the colors displayed using a first-order red plate). Examines liquid crystalline behavior of other naturally occurring polymers.

• OSTI ID: 6164471
• Journal Information: Soc. Pet. Eng. AIME, Pap.; (United States), Vol. 22:4
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

37 INORGANIC
ORGANIC
PHYSICAL AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
DRILLING FLUIDS
CRYSTAL STRUCTURE
POLYSACCHARIDES
LIQUID CRYSTALS
ANISOTROPY
BARIUM SULFATES
BIREFRINGENCE
ENHANCED RECOVERY
MICROSCOPY
POLYMERS
SUSPENSIONS
ALKALINE EARTH METAL COMPOUNDS
BARIUM COMPOUNDS
CARBOHYDRATES
CRYSTALS
DISPERSIONS
FLUIDS
LIQUIDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
RECOVERY
REFRACTION
SACCHARIDES
SULFATES
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
400301* - Organic Chemistry- Chemical & Physicochemical Properties- (-1987)