Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Letter
  • Published:

Mechanical Properties of Degraded Gelatins

Nature volume 176, pages 26–27 (1955)Cite this article

Abstract

FRACTIONATION1 commercial gelatins has shown that the rigidity of gelatin gels is not solely dependent on the distribution of molecular weights but also depends on another factor—the ‘rigidity factor’. Scatchard's results2 show that the mean molecular weight of gelatin, and also its viscosity in aqueous solution, are decreased by thermal degradation. Ferry3 measured the reduction in the rigidity of gels of these degraded gelatins, and related the changes to the molecular weights. The present investigation shows that while in certain conditions (for example, low pH) Ferry's assumption is correct, in other conditions (for example, neutral or high pH) the rigidity factor is also reduced as degradation proceeds.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on Springer Link
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Stainsby, G., Saunders, P. R., and Ward, A. G., Proc. 13th Int. Cong. Pure App. Chem. (Uppsala). Ward, A. G., Nature, 171, 1099 (1953).

    Google Scholar 

  2. Scatchard, G., Oncley, J. L., Williams, J. W., and Brown, A., J. Amer. Chem. Soc., 66, 1980 (1944).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Ferry, J. D., J. Amer. Chem. Soc., 70, 2244 (1948). Ferry, J. D., and Eldridge, J. E., J. Phys. Col. Chem., 53, 184 (1949).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Saunders, P. R., and Ward, A. G., Proc. 2nd Int. Cong. Rheology (Butterworths Scientific Publications, ltd., london, 1954).

  5. Stainsby, G. Discussions of the Faraday Society, 18, 288 (1954).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Stainsby, G., Nature, 169, 662 (1952).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. British Gelatine and Glue Research Association, 2a Dalmeny Avenue, London, N.7

    P. R. SAUNDERS & A. G. WARD

Authors
  1. P. R. SAUNDERS
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. A. G. WARD
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

SAUNDERS, P., WARD, A. Mechanical Properties of Degraded Gelatins. Nature 176, 26–27 (1955). https://doi.org/10.1038/176026a0

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/176026a0

This article is cited by

Comments

By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.

Search

Advanced search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing