Rheological behaviour of a succinoglycan polysaccharide in dilute and semi-dilute solutions.

We report the rheological behaviour of a succinoglycan polysaccharide in dilute and semi-dilute solutions as a function of temperature, ionic strength and the nature of counterion. We have examined the viscosity dependence as a function of molecular weight using samples obtained by ultrasonication. We have also prepared samples lacking succinate substitutes and compared their behaviour with that of the native polymer. In both cases, we observed that, after heating a polymer solution for the first time above the conformational transition temperature, a different ordered state was obtained on cooling. This state had a lower molecular weight and intrinsic viscosity but identical chemical structure and local properties. A role for the side chain in the stabilization of breaks in the backbone is suggested. Nevertheless, a unique curve is obtained for the specific viscosity as a function of the overlap parameter c[eta] for different polymer concentrations of both the native and heated forms. However, different curves are obtained for normal and succinate-free polymers, and the succinate-free polymer is characterized by a lower Huggins constant.