The rheological and thickening properties of cationic xanthan gum

In the present study, cationic xanthan gum (CXG) was synthesized to enhance the rheological property of xanthan gum (XG) by attaching quaternary amine groups to the backbone of XG. The efficacy of the substitution was confirmed by FT-IR spectra and ¹³C NMR. The surface morphology was changed considerably as demonstrated by SEM. The examined rheological properties of XG and CXG include steady-state and dynamic rheological properties. The results show that quaternary amine groups are successfully grafted onto the XG molecule. Apparent viscosity, storage modulus, and loss modulus of CXG solutions are greater than those of XG solutions under the same conditions. It is moreover found that apparent viscosity and viscoelasticity increase with the degree of substitution. The data indicate that the modified XG has much better heat resistance.