Development and Application of the Paenan Polysaccharide Rheology Toolbox for Rheological Modifiers Using Response Surface Methodology

High Resolution Image Download MS PowerPoint Slide Natural polymers are increasingly used in industrial applications as sustainable alternatives to petroleum-based rheological modifiers. In particular, their renewable origin and biodegradability make them attractive for formulations in personal care, coatings, and food systems. However, achieving comparable rheological performance often requires higher concentrations of natural polymers, which can introduce undesirable rheological properties and compromise the overall performance of the application. This study addresses this issue by applying response surface methodology to model the rheological and textural interactions in aqueous solutions of the three strongly interacting polysaccharides, paenan I–III, produced by Paenibacillus polymyxa DSM 365, to establish a rheology toolbox capable of creating tailored mixtures for respective applications. The toolbox enabled substantial rheological tuning of 1% (w/w) desalted paenan mixtures, covering viscosities from 11 to 33 Pa·s at 1 s –1, storage moduli from 8 to 16 Pa in the Linear Viscoelastic (LVE) region of amplitude sweeps, and from 10 to 21 Pa at 1 Hz in frequency sweeps, as well as flow points from 17 to 42 Pa. By accurately predicting key rheological formulation parameters, the synergistic effects among these components have been revealed and calculated to fine-tune the properties of paenan mixtures. Furthermore, natural and petroleum-derived polymers have been characterized to identify their unique and common properties through clustering, allowing estimation of which polymer properties may be able to be rebuilt by the toolbox. The ability of the toolbox to rebuild rheological properties of commercial xanthan gum with a paenan I:II:III (32.5:2.5:65.0) blend and fine-tune them enhances the applicability of natural polymers as viable alternatives to petroleum-derived rheological modifiers across various industries.