Protaweld® and Scogin® Alginates

Scogin® and Protaweld® Alginates are naturally derived polymers based on polysaccharide extracted from brown seaweed. This seaweed is harvested off the Norwegian coastline using sustainable farming processes. Scogin® and Protaweld® Alginates polymers consist of two monomers: (1-4)-linked D-mannuronate (M) and l-guluronate (G). In seaweed, alginate polymers consist of recurring G-G-G, M-M-M or M-G-M-G block content. The specific ratio of the M and G blocks dictates the properties of the polymer. As an example, alginate polymers containing more G-blocks provide higher gel strength, and alginates with more M-blocks form softer gels. 
 

The commercial process of Scogin® and Protaweld® alginates first involves renewably harvesting brown seaweed. After harvesting the seaweed, alginic acid is extracted and treated with salts, such as sodium, calcium, or potassium to produce various forms of alginates, such as sodium alginates, calcium alginates, or potassium alginates, respectively.
 

Scogin® and Protaweld® Alginates are valued in a variety of industrial applications, where they offer a number of useful functional properties, such as:
 

Scogin® and Protaweld® Alginates are valued in industrial applications using water-based solutions, where they are used as thickeners and binders. A few examples of their utility include use in paper sizing, welding rods, textile printing, packaging, and water treatment. Selecting the proper grade of Scogin® or Protaweld® for a particular application depends on the viscosity or gelation requirements, speed of hydration, and desired shear required for dispersion per application. 
 

The gelation properties of Scogin® and Protaweld® Alginates also have significant commercial utility, where gels provide encapsulation and long-term stability to active ingredients used in the agricultural, consumer goods, and fragrance industries. These alginates can form water-based gels because they are reactive to divalent cations such as calcium, which ionically bond to the G-blocks in the alginate polymer. These ionic bonds cause the alginate polymer chains to be pulled together, forming a gel matrix that traps water within. This gelation mechanism is referred to as the "egg-box" model. 
 

Scroll down to learn more about the calcium, potassium, and sodium alginate options available.