• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• 제12권5호
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• pp.785-801
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• 2017

Biopolymer treatment of geomaterials to develop sustainable geotechnical systems is an important step towards the reduction of global warming. The cutting edge technology of biopolymer treatment is not only environment friendly but also has widespread application. This paper presents the strength and slake durability characteristics of biopolymer-treated sand sampled from Al-Sharqia Desert in Oman. The specimens were prepared by mixing sand at various proportions by weight of xanthan gum biopolymer. To make a comparison with conventional methods of ground improvement, cement treated sand specimens were also prepared. To demonstrate the effects of wetting and drying, standard slake durability tests were also conducted on the specimens. According to the results of strength tests, xanthan gum treatment increased the unconfined strength of sand, similar to the strengthening effect of mixing cement in sand. The slake durability test results indicated that the resistance of biopolymer-treated sand to disintegration upon interaction with water is stronger than that of cement treated sand. The percentage of xanthan gum to treat sand is proposed as 2-3% for optimal performance in terms of strength and durability. SEM analysis of biopolymer-treated sand specimens also confirms that the sand particles are linked through the biopolymer, which has increased shear resistance and durability. Results of this study imply xanthan gum biopolymer treatment as an eco-friendly technique to improve the mechanical properties of desert sand. However, the strengthening effect due to the biopolymer treatment of sand can be weakened upon interaction with water.

• 한국미생물·생명공학회지
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• 제17권4호
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• pp.277-282
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• 1989

Xanthomonas campestris에 의한 생물고분자 xanthan gum 생산의 경우 배양액은 xanthan gum의 농도가 증가하면서 고점도의 non-Newtonian 유체로 변하게 되는데 이로 인하여 영양분과 산소의 물질전달이 저해를 받아 미생물의 성장과 xanthan gum의 생합성이 제한을 받게 된다. 본 연구에서는 교반속도를 변화시켜 가면서 회분식 및 유가식 배양을 하였으며 산소전달계수 측정실험을 하여 물질전달의 영향을 조사하였다. 미생물의 성장속도는 산소전달전달계수 변화에 대해 크게 영향을 받지 않았지만 xanthan gum의 생산속도는 산소전달계수값에 크게 의존하였다.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• 제12권5호
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• pp.831-847
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• 2017

Conventional geotechnical engineering soil binders such as ordinary cement or lime have environmental issues in terms of sustainable development. Thus, environmentally friendly materials have attracted considerable interest in modern geotechnical engineering. Microbial biopolymers are being actively developed in order to improve geotechnical engineering properties such as aggregate stability, strength, and hydraulic conductivity of various soil types. This study evaluates the geotechnical engineering shear behavior of sand treated with xanthan gum biopolymer through laboratory direct shear testing. Xanthan gum-sand mixtures with various xanthan gum content (percent to the mass of sand) and gel phases (initial, dried, and re-submerged) were considered. Xanthan gum content of 1.0% sufficiently improves the inter-particle cohesion of cohesionless sands 3.8 times and more (up to 14 times for dried state) than in the untreated (natural) condition, regardless of the xanthan gum gel condition. In general, the strength of xanthan gum-treated sand shows dependency with the rheology and phase of xanthan gum gels in inter-granular pores, which decreases in order as dried (biofilm state), initial (uniform hydrogel), and re-submerged (swollen hydrogel after drying) states. As xanthan gum hydrogels are pseudo-plastic, both inter-particle friction angle and cohesion of xanthan gum-treated sand decrease with water adsorbed swelling at large strain levels. However, for 2% xanthan gum-treated sands, the re-submerged state shows a higher strength than the initial state due to the gradual and non-uniform swelling behavior of highly concentrated biofilms.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• 제17권5호
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• pp.445-452
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• 2019

Gel-type biopolymers have recently been introduced as environmentally friendly soil binders and have shown substantial strengthening effects in laboratory experimental programs. Although the strengthening effects of biopolymer-treated sands have been verified in previous direct shear tests and uniaxial compression tests, there has been no attempt to examine shear behavior under different confining stress conditions. This study therefore aimed to investigate the strengthening effects of biopolymer-treated sand using laboratory triaxial testing with a focus on confining pressures. Three representative confining pressure conditions (${\sigma}_3=50kPa$, 100 kPa, and 200 kPa) were tested with varying biopolymer contents ($m_{bp}/m_s$) of 0.5%, 1.0%, and 2.0%, respectively. Based on previous studies, it was assumed that biopolymer-treated sand is susceptible to hydraulic conditions, and therefore, the experiments were conducted in both a hydrated xanthan gum condition and a dehydrated xanthan gum condition. The results indicated that the shear resistance was substantially enhanced and there was a demonstrable increase in cohesion as well as the friction angle when the biopolymer film matrix was comprehensively developed. Accordingly, it can be concluded that the feasibility of the biopolymer treatment will remain valid under the confining pressure conditions used in this study because the resisting force of the biopolymer-treated soil was higher than that in the untreated condition, regardless of the confining pressure.

• 한국식품과학회지
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• 제28권3호
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• pp.538-544
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• 1996

미생물이 생산하는 생물 고분자의 기능성 당색 및 용도 재발 연구의 일환으로. Bacillus sp.의 알카리 발효에 의해 생합성된 점성의 생물 분자의 리올로지 특성을 다른 미생들 다당 및 식뮬 다당류와 비교하면서 검토하였다. 1% 정제 고분자 용액은 xanthan gum 및 guar gum과 마찬가지로 항복응럭을 갖는 의가소성 유체의 거동을 널었다. 유동지수(n)값은 0.41 - 0.75로 전단속도 의존성을 보였으며, 점조도지수(K)값은 0.87 Pa $s^n$으로 guar gum보다는 작고 xanthan gum 보다는 컸다. 그러나 항복응력 (${\tau}_y$)값은 2.28Pa로 xanthan gum이나 guar gum보다 크게 낮았다. 또 정제고분자의 점조도지수(K)값은 지수 함수식에 따르는 농도 및 온도 의존성을 나타내었다. 농도 의존성은 기울기가 서로 달라지는 두 개의 직선관계를 나타냈으며, 농도가 증가에 따라 의가소성은 강해졌다. 시료 용액은 온도 의존성이 매우 낮은 특징을 나타내었고, 유동의 활성화에너지지는 1.16kcal/g mol이었다. 겉보기 점도는 pH와 염의 변화에 매우 불안정함을 나타내었으나 유기용매에 대하여는 어느 정도 안정함을 보였고, 점증제를 첨가하였을 때 겉보기 점도의 상승효과는 관찰되지 않았다.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• 제17권5호
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• pp.453-464
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• 2019

Soft marine soil has high fine-grained soil content and in-situ water content. Thus, it has low shear strength and bearing capacity and is susceptible to a large settlement, which leads to difficulties with coastal infrastructure construction. Therefore, strength improvement and settlement control are essential considerations for construction on soft marine soil deposits. Biopolymers show their potential for improving soil stability, which can reduce the environmental drawbacks of conventional soil treatment. This study used two biopolymers, an anionic xanthan gum biopolymer and a cationic ${\varepsilon}-polylysine$ biopolymer, as representatives to enhance the geotechnical engineering properties of soft marine soil. Effects of the biopolymers on marine soil were analyzed through a series of experiments considering the Atterberg limits, shear strength at a constant water content, compressive strength in a dry condition, laboratory consolidation, and sedimentation. Xanthan gum treatment affects the Atterberg limits, shear strength, and compressive strength by interparticle bonding and the formation of a viscous hydrogel. However, xanthan gum delays the consolidation procedure and increases the compressibility of soils. While ${\varepsilon}-polylysine$ treatment does not affect compressive strength, it shows potential for coagulating soil particles in a suspension state. ${\varepsilon}-Polylysine$ forms bridges between soil particles, showing an increase in settling velocity and final sediment density. The results of this study show various potential applications of biopolymers. Xanthan gum biopolymer was identified as a soil strengthening material, while ${\varepsilon}-polylysine$ biopolymer can be applied as a soil-coagulating material.

• 한국식품과학회지
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• 제29권1호
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• pp.138-144
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• 1997

토양으로부터 분리한 Metarrhizium anisopliae (Metschn.) Sorok이 생산하는 biopolymer YU-122의 물리, 화학적 특성을 알아보고, 그의 식품 및 생물산업에의 응용 가능성을 검토하여보았다. Biopolymer YU-l22의 flow behavior index (n)는 0.173으로서 pseudoplastic한 non-Newtonian용액 특성을 보였으며, 농도, 온도 및 pH의 변화에 따른 점도의 변화를 검토한 결과 0.3% 이상의 농도에서부터 농도의 증가에 따라 급격한 점도의 증가를 나타냈으며, $60^{\circ}C$, pH 11.0까지 점도의 변화 없이 안정한 성질을 갖는 것으로 나타났다. 또한 기존에 보고된 다른 polymer와는 달리 $NaCl,\;CaCl_2$ 등의 무기염의 첨가에 대하여서도 점도의 변화를 나타내지 않았다. Metarrhizium anisopliae (Metschn.) Sorok이 생산하는 biopolymer YU-122의 산업적 응용성을 검토하기 위하여 유화안정제로서의 성질 및 film 형성능, 해빙시간에 미치는 영향 등을 검토한 결과 옥수수유를 사용한 경우 xanthan gum보다 4배인 120시간동안 유화효과를 나타내었다. 또한 xanthan gum보다 우수한 film 향성능을 나타내었으며, 1% biopolymer YU-122용액에서 해빙시간이 3배까지 연장되어 해빙에 미치는 영향도 매우 우수한 것으로 나타났다.

• 한국지반공학회논문집
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• 제40권3호
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• pp.55-63
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• 2024

잔탄검 바이오폴리머는 대표적인 친환경 지반안정제로서, 넓은 범위의 온도와 pH에서 높은 안정성을 보이는 장점이 있다. 사질토 지반에 대한 잔탄검 바이오폴리머 적용 시 흙 입자 결합력 증대효과는 잔탄검 매트릭스의 건조과정에 의존하므로, 잔탄검 바이오폴리머 수용액의 건조과정에 따른 사질토 전단강성 증대효과에 대한 연구가 요구된다. 본 연구에서는 잔탄검 바이오폴리머 주입에 의한 사질토의 전단강성 개선효과를 평가하고자, 농도가 다른 잔탄검 바이오폴리머 수용액을 주입한 주문진 표준사에 대하여 건조 경과에 따른 전단파속도를 측정하였으며, 건조도의 정량적 평가를 위하여 전기비저항 측정이 병행되었다. 건조시간 경과에 따라 전단파속도 및 전기비저항 모두 증가하는 양상을 보였으며, 이를 통하여 건조과정에 따른 바이오폴리머 혼합토의 전단강성 증대효과를 확인하였다. 또한, 바이오폴리머 농도에 따른 전단파속도 측정 결과, 초기 농도가 높을수록 건조과정에 따라 높은 전단강성 증대효과를 나타내었다. 본 연구의 결과는 바이오폴리머 수용액 주입에 의한 사질토 지반의 전단강성 개량효과 예측에 활용될 수 있을 것으로 기대된다.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• 제29권3호
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• pp.259-267
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• 2022

The rheological and penetration characteristics of sodium alginate and xanthan gum aqueous solutions were analyzed for the development of biopolymer-based injection materials. The results of viscosity measurements for the rheological characteristics analysis show that all aqueous biopolymer solutions exhibit a tendency for shear-thinning, i.e., the apparent viscosity decreases as the shear rate increases. In addition, a regression analysis using several models (Power-law, Casson, Sisko, and Cross) was applied to the shear-thinning fluid analysis results, the highest accuracy was determined by applying the power-law model. The micromodel experiment for the penetration characteristics analysis determined that all biopolymer aqueous solutions show higher pore saturation than water, and that pore saturation tends to increase as the flow rate and concentration increases. When comparing the rheological and penetration characteristics of the biopolymer aqueous solution used in this study, the xanthan gum aqueous solution showed a fully developed shear-thinning tendency, unlike the sodium alginate aqueous solution. This tendency is considered to have the advantage of enhancement injectability and pore saturation.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• 제33권2호
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• pp.121-131
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• 2023

Clay sedimentation has been widely analyzed for its application in a variety of geotechnical constructions such as mine tailing, artificial islands, dredging, and reclamation. Chemical flocculants such as aluminum sulfate (Al₂(SO₄)₃), ferric chloride (FeCl₃), and ferric sulfate (Fe(SO₄)₃), have been adopted to accelerate the settling behaviors of clays. As an alternative clay flocculant with natural origin, this study investigated the settling of xanthan gum-treated kaolinite suspension in deionized water. The sedimentation of kaolinite in solutions of xanthan gum biopolymer (0%, 0.1%, 0.5%, 1.0%, and 2.0% in a clay mass) was measured until the sediment height was stabilized. Kaolinite was aggregated by xanthan gum via a direct electrical interaction between the negatively charged xanthan gum molecules and positively charged edge surface and via hydrogen bonding with kaolinite particles. The results revealed that the xanthan gum initially bound kaolinite aggregates, thereby forming larger floc sizes. Owing to their greater floc size, the aggregated kaolinite flocs induced by xanthan gum settled faster than the untreated kaolinite. Additionally, X-ray computed tomography images collected at various depths from the bottom demonstrated that the xanthan gum-induced aggregation resulted in denser sediment deposition. The findings of this study could inspire further efforts to accelerate the settling of kaolinite clays by adding xanthan gum.