Quantification of water in carbohydrate lamellae using SANS

Abstract

The ingress of water into polymeric carbohydrate systems which contain alternating crystalline and amorphous lamellae is of wide interest. The small-angle neutron scattering profile resulting from the interaction between the lamellae and water is modelled with a Hosemann-type paracrystal. Coupled with the use of contrast variation, it is possible to quantify the amounts of water and carbohydrate in the different regions of the system. The technique is applied in a study of the hydration of waxy maize starch. In addition data is presented on the dynamic gelatinisation of starch in situ in a pulsed neutron beam.