FRACTURE PROPERTIES OF STARCH GELS AND THEIR RATE DEPENDENCY

Fracture properties of potato starch gels, consisting of swollen granules, were studied by bending, uniaxial compression, tension and cutting experiments at various strain rates. The effects of starch granule size and retrogradation were also investigated. Starch gels are very notch-sensitive. Fracture starts from inherent defects in the gel with a size comparable to that of the swollen granules. Fracture parameters like stress and strain at fracture and fracture energy depend on the rate of deformation, in contrast with the rate independent elastic behaviour observed at small deformations. This rate dependency can be different ; for the different parameters. A possible explanation for the rate dependent fracture is discussed. It implies that the granular structure of the gels is essential for fracture behaviour.