What is the Effect of Adding Calcium Chloride to Starch Glue?

1. What's the application of starch glue?

  Starch gum is a widely used colloid in industry and food processing that has high viscosity and bonding ability. Typically composed of starch, water and ions such as lithium and calcium, starch gums have a variety of uses such as making adhesives, capsules, bread and other food products.

2. What's the application of calcium chloride?

  Calcium chloride is a widely used chemical substance that plays an important role in many industrial and pharmaceutical manufacturing processes. Calcium chloride can reduce the attraction between starch molecules, increasing the viscosity and strength of starch glue. In the food manufacturing process, calcium chloride is often used as a stabilizer to prevent the acid released by lactic acid bacteria during the fermentation process from affecting the food.

3. Effect of adding calcium chloride to starch glue

①Enhance gel strength: Calcium chloride is an electrolyte that can interact with starch molecules. When starch molecules form colloids in water, the calcium ions in calcium chloride can coordinate with functional groups such as hydroxyl groups on starch molecules to form a cross-linked network structure between starch molecules. This cross-linked structure helps to enhance the gel strength of starch glue, making the colloid more solid and stable, and reducing its deformation or flow under stress. For example, in some starch adhesive applications that require higher strength, such as the bonding of cartons, adding calcium chloride can improve the stability of cartons when they are under a certain weight or pressure, and prevent the cartons from falling apart.

②Accelerate gelation speed: In the preparation process of starch gel, calcium chloride can be used as a coagulant promoter. It can change the aggregation behavior of starch molecules and accelerate the transformation of starch molecules from the sol state to the gel state. The presence of calcium ions makes it easier for starch molecules to approach and combine with each other, thus shortening the gelation time. In industrial production, accelerating the gelation speed can improve the production efficiency and reduce the production cycle, for example, in the continuous starch adhesive production line, it helps to improve the output speed of the product.3. Improve the water resistance: As calcium chloride prompts the starch molecules to cross-linking to form a closer structure, it is more difficult for water molecules to enter into the inside of this structure, which improves the water resistance of the starch adhesive. In some used environments that may come into contact with water, such as the adhesion of packaging materials in humid environments, starch adhesive with calcium chloride can better maintain its adhesive properties and reduce the adhesive failure caused by water absorption.

③Improvement of water resistance: As calcium chloride induces cross-linking of starch molecules to form a tighter structure, it is more difficult for water molecules to enter into this structure, thus improving the water resistance of starch adhesive. In use environments that may come into contact with moisture, such as the bonding of packaging materials in humid environments, starch adhesives with calcium chloride can better maintain their bonding properties and reduce bonding failures caused by water absorption.

4. Application

  In practical application, the ratio of starch glue and calcium chloride needs to be determined according to the specific process and product requirements. Starch glue and calcium chloride are often used in the production of food, medicine, cosmetics and industrial glue, etc., in which the addition of an appropriate amount of calcium chloride can improve the properties and durability of the product.

  In conclusion, the addition of an appropriate amount of calcium chloride to starch glue is a common process operation with a variety of benefits. In addition to enhancing gel strength, accelerating gel speed and improving water resistance, it can extend the service life of the product and improve its quality.