In the literature, hydrophobic modification of polymers is often used to produce associative thickeners and materials with surfactant-like properties. For biopolymers, the addition of hydrophobes can also impart useful properties, such as viscosity improvement and additive compatibility. In our laboratories, we have looked at hydrophobic modification for several selected biopolymers. For example, an interesting biopolymer is cashew gum, a bark exudate from the cashew tree (Anacardium occidentale L.). It is a hydrophilic, branched high-molecular-weight polysaccharide comprising 72% β-D-galactopyranose, 14% α−D-glucopyranose, 4.6% α-L-arabinofuranose, 3.2% α-L-rhamnopyranose, and 4.5% β-D-glucuronic acid. Selected hydrophobes have been attached to this biopolymer. For hydrophobic modification with alkyl ketene dimer (AKD), the reactions have been conducted at 90°C, using dimethyl sulfoxide as a solvent and 4-dimethylaminopyridine as a promoter. Samples with degrees of substitution (DS) up to 0.016 have been made; the higher DS samples tend to form insoluble dispersions. This polymer shows some of the properties of other AKD-adducted polysaccharides and may be a useful addition to the family of hydrophobically modified polysaccharides.<br/>

Preparation and characterization of hydrophobically modified biopolymers

Macromolecular Chemistry: The Second Century

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ACS Spring 2020 National Meeting & Expo

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