Rheological approaches to classify the mixed gel network of κ-carrageenan/agar

The type of mixed gel network of κ-carrageenan/agar was determined by applying rheological principles. Apparent Young's modulus of the mixed gels was mathematically analyzed with (a) simply adding the moduli of two component gels, (b) phase-separated type's upper and lower bound models, (c) interpenetrating type's logarithmic model. The experimental data fitted the estimates from the operation (a). Whereas, as for the models (b), the experimental values in the agar-rich region fitted the estimates of the upper bound model, but in the κ-carrageenan-rich region slightly deviated from those of the lower bound model. It reflected an evidence of a phase-separated type, although it was not typical, that there must be data good-fit in the agar-rich and κ-carrageenan-rich regions with the upper and lower bound models, respectively. Experimental values disagreed with estimates of the model (c). Gel time was analyzed to evince the phase-separated type. As agar concentrations increased at a fixed amount of κ-carrageenan, gel time gradually decreased and then sharply increased and decreased again. The pattern of such change in gel time also represented a typical behavior of phase-separated type's mixed gels.