Solubility parameters of biopolymers

Both unmodified and a range of hydrophobically modified (acetylated) polydextrose and spruce galactoglucomannan preparations have been characterised for their solubility and phase separation in a number of solvents. Intrinsic viscosity and aggregate size determinations were used to establish the solubility parameters of polymers at 298K. A slightly different polymer solubility parameter was found when pure solvents or solvent mixtures were used. This was interpreted as a difference in preferential solvation. The developed thermodynamic framework was successfully used to calculate solubility parameters of polymers from matching solvent solubility parameter and critical solubility parameters determined at phase boundary.