Chimeric liquid crystallinity of bacterial levan

Levan, a biopolymer consisting of beta-2,6-linked polyfructose, has been identified by previous researchers as a potential raw material for biodegradable food packaging. In this dissertation, levan was investigated for liquid crystalline properties that might promote processability and mechanical property control. Transmitted polarized light microscopy (TPLM) performed on dilute aqueous solutions of as-received levan revealed nematic order. Turbidimetry, employing a UV-vis spectrophotometer, was used to quantify the temperatures and concentrations at which this phase forms. A partial phase diagram was constructed for the region of 10...