Characterization of sodium carboxymethylcellulose-gelatin complex coacervation by chemical analysis of the coacervate and equilibrium fluid phases.

The complex coacervation of sodium carboxymethylcellulose (SCMC) and gelatin has been characterized by chemical analyses of the coacervate and equilibrium fluid phases. The phenol-sulphuric acid (for SCMC) and Lowry (for gelatin) assays were used. Chemically analysed coacervate yield was used to predict optimum coacervation conditions, which occurred at a SCMC-gelatin mixing ratio of 3:7 at pH 3.5. The effects of pH, colloid mixing ratio and total colloid concentration on coacervate yield and composition were studied. The colloid mixing ratio, at which the peak coacervate yields occurred varied with coacervation pH. Increase in the total colloid concentration suppressed coacervation, resulting in a coacervate of higher water content. A similar coacervation mechanism was seen for two viscosity grades SCMC. However, because of the different degree of substitution of these two grades the SCMC-gelatin coacervates had different SCMC contents.