THE ROLE OF CONFORMATION ON THE THERMODYNAMICS AND RHEOLOGY OF AQUEOUS-SOLUTIONS OF CARBOHYDRATE POLYMERS

A molecular description of the conformational features of carbohydrate polymers and of their interactions with solvent (water) and with ions is given. The thermodynamics of solvation and of ion binding is illustrated in order to characterise the energetics of the formation of the ordered conformations which can be induced by decreasing the temperature and/or screening the charge repulsion on the chain. It is shown that the persistence of weak interactions over an extended length of the chain results in the peculiar rheological properties of these carbohydrate systems.