Pressure cell assisted solution characterization of galactomannans. 3. Application of analytical ultracentrifugation techniques.

The pressure heating cell approach previously applied to galactomannans in two earlier studies is now used to prepare samples for characterization using the analytical ultracentrifuge. Sedimentation velocity data were obtained for both guar gum and locust bean gum samples. These were compared to our earlier light scattering and intrinsic viscosity measurements on samples prepared using identical temperature and pressure profiles. A number of methods were then employed to obtain chain persistence lengths, including the Hearst-Stockmayer and Bohdanecky wormlike chain approaches. These results were compared to earlier results obtained using methods appropriate for excluded volume coil and rodlike chains, respectively.