Structure Evolution during Gelation at Later Stages of Spinodal Decomposition in Gelatin/Maltodextrin Mixtures

Abstract

The kinetics of phase separation and gelation in kinetically trapped gelatin/maltodextrin/water gels was studied using confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The time evolution of the morphology was followed by CLSM during temperature quenches from 60 °C to between 1 and 40 °C. The maltodextrin concentration was varied between 2.25% and 7.5% (w/w), and the gelatin concentration was held constant at 4% (w/w). Spinodal decomposition, self-similar growth, percolation-to-cluster transition, coalescence, and diffusion of maltodextrin inclusions were observed during the progress of gelation. The start and completion of these processes, the onset of phase separation, and the relative rates of phase separation and gelation were found to determine the morphology. The characteristic wavelength showed a crossover in its growth rate power law from one-third to one in a slowly gelling, near-symmetric system. Droplet and bicontinuous morphologies were observed in off-symme...