Rheological and Thermal Properties of Salecan/Sanxan Composite Hydrogels for Food and Biomedical Applications

The rational design of advanced composite gels requires rigorous rheological analysis to decode their flow-deformation mechanisms, a prerequisite for optimizing performance in food and biomedical applications. However, systematic thermal analysis and rheological profiling of Salecan/Sanxan hydrogels remain unexplored, constituting a critical knowledge gap in this field. This study engineered Salecan/Sanxan hydrogels and systematically probed Salecan-dependent rheological and thermal properties. Through Power Law and Herschel-Bulkley model analyses, the hydrogels demonstrated composition-dependent rheological properties: yield stress (4.7-29.2 Pa), η₅₀ (342.6-3011.4 mPa·s), and Arrhenius equation fitting revealed tunable activation energy (14,688.3-30,997.1 J·mol^-1). Notably, when the gel was formulated with 3% Sanxan and 2% Salecan at a volume ratio of 1:2, its thermal-decomposition temperature rose by 9%, from 224.4 °C to 245.1 °C. Conversely, a 1:1 mixture of 2% Sanxan and 2% Salecan produced the lowest freezing point recorded (-18.3 °C), an 18% reduction compared with the control (-15.4 °C). These findings demonstrate the tunable rheological and thermal properties of Salecan/Sanxan hydrogels. By establishing that precise modulation of polymer mixing ratios can match the entire processing shear spectrum, this study not only fills a critical knowledge gap but also creates a versatile platform for designing tailor-made foods and biomedical matrices.