Starch-metal complexes and their rheology

Abstract

Changes in conductivity of 5 w/w% starch gels was studied on their titration with 0.1 M aqueous solutions of selected metal salts. Starch gels usually trapped around 10 mg metal ions per 1 g starch [Co(II), Cu(II), Fe(III), Ni(II)] and that value was only slightly dependent on starch origin (amaranthus, corn, potato, tapioca, waxy corn). Among salts studied (acetates, chlorides, nitrates) FeCl3 and NiCl2 were likely to be used because they hydrolyzed increasing conductivity of the solutions and formed micelles of corresponding hydroxides adhering to starch micelles and increasing amount of trapped metal. Addition of metal salts to starch gels had a devastating effect on pseudoplasticity and viscosity of starch gels and only potato starch gel was to a certain extent, exceptional in that respect.