Properties and uses of hydroxyethyl cellulose

The main properties of hydroxyethyl cellulose are that it is soluble in cold water and hot water, and has no gelling properties. It has a wide range of substitution degree, solubility and viscosity. precipitation. Hydroxyethyl cellulose solution can form a transparent film, and has the characteristics of non-ionic type that does not interact with ions and has good compatibility.

①High temperature and water solubility: Compared with methyl cellulose (MC), which is only soluble in cold water, hydroxyethyl cellulose can be dissolved in hot water or cold water. Wide range of solubility and viscosity properties, and non-thermal gelation.

②Salt resistance: Due to its non-ionic type, it can coexist with other water-soluble polymers, surfactants and salts in a wide range. Therefore, compared with ionic carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), hydroxyethyl cellulose has better salt resistance.

③Water retention, leveling, film-forming: its water-retention capacity is twice that of methyl cellulose, with excellent flow regulation and excellent film-forming, fluid loss reduction, miscibility, protective colloid sex.

Use of hydroxyethyl cellulose

Hydroxyethyl cellulose is a non-ionic water-soluble cellulose ether product, widely used in architectural coatings, petroleum, polymer polymerization, medicine, daily use, paper and ink, fabrics, ceramics, construction, agriculture and other industries. It has the functions of thickening, bonding, emulsifying, dispersing and stabilizing, and can retain water, form a film and provide protective colloid effect. It is easily soluble in cold water and hot water, and can provide a solution with a wide range of viscosity. One of the faster cellulose ethers.

1 latex paint

Hydroxyethyl cellulose is the most commonly used thickener in latex coatings. In addition to thickening latex coatings, it can also emulsify, disperse, stabilize and retain water. It is characterized by remarkable thickening effect, good color development, film-forming property and storage stability. Hydroxyethyl cellulose is a non-ionic cellulose derivative that can be used in a wide pH range. It has good compatibility with other materials in the component (such as pigments, additives, fillers and salts). Coatings thickened with hydroxyethyl cellulose have good rheology at various shear rates and are pseudoplastic. Construction methods such as brushing, roller coating, and spraying can be used. Good construction, not easy to drip, sag and splash, and good leveling.

2 Polymerization

Hydroxyethyl cellulose has the functions of dispersing, emulsifying, suspending and stabilizing in the polymerization or copolymerization components of synthetic resins, and can be used as a protective colloid. It is characterized by strong dispersing ability, thin “film” of particles, fine particle size, uniform particle shape, loose type, good fluidity, high product transparency and easy processing. Because hydroxyethyl cellulose can be dissolved in cold water and hot water, and has no gelling temperature point, it is more suitable for various polymerization reactions.

The important physical properties to investigate the quality of the dispersant are the surface (or interfacial) tension, interfacial strength and gelation temperature of its aqueous solution. These properties of hydroxyethyl cellulose are suitable for the polymerization or copolymerization of synthetic resins.

Hydroxyethyl cellulose has good compatibility with other water-soluble cellulose ethers and PVA. The composite system thus formed can obtain the comprehensive effect of learning from each other’s strengths and complementing one’s weaknesses. The composite resin products not only have good quality, but also reduce material loss.

3 oil drilling

In oil drilling and production, high-viscosity hydroxyethyl cellulose is mainly used as a viscosifier for completion fluids and finishing fluids. Low viscosity hydroxyethyl cellulose is used as a fluid loss reducer. In various muds required for drilling, completion, cementing and fracturing operations, hydroxyethyl cellulose is used as a thickener to obtain good fluidity and stability of the mud. During drilling, it can improve the sand carrying capacity of the mud and prolong the service life of the drill bit. In low solid phase completion fluids and cementing fluids, the excellent water loss reduction properties of hydroxyethyl cellulose can prevent a large amount of water from entering the oil layer from the mud, and can improve the production capacity of the oil layer.

4 Daily chemical

Hydroxyethylcellulose is an effective film former, binder, thickener, stabilizer and dispersant in shampoos, hair sprays, neutralizers, conditioners and cosmetics; in detergent powders It is a dirt redeposition agent. Hydroxyethyl cellulose dissolves quickly at high temperature, which can speed up the production process and improve production efficiency. The obvious feature of detergents containing hydroxyethyl cellulose is that it can improve the smoothness and mercerization of fabrics.

5 architecture

Hydroxyethyl cellulose can be used in construction products such as concrete mixes, fresh mortars, gypsum plaster or other mortars, etc., to retain water during construction before they set and harden. In addition to improving the water retention of building products, hydroxyethyl cellulose can also prolong the correction and open time of stucco or mastic. Reduces skinning, slippage and sagging. This can improve construction performance, improve work efficiency, save time, and at the same time increase the volume expansion rate of stucco, thereby saving raw materials.

6 agriculture

Hydroxyethyl cellulose is used in pesticide emulsion and suspension formulations as a thickener for spray emulsions or suspensions. It can reduce the drift of the agent and make it firmly attached to the foliage of the plant, thereby increasing the effect of foliar spraying. Hydroxyethyl cellulose can also be used as a film-forming agent in seed coating and coating agent; as a binder and film-forming agent in the recycling of tobacco leaves.

7 Paper and Ink

Hydroxyethyl cellulose can be used as a sizing agent on paper and board and as a thickening and suspending agent for water-based inks. In the papermaking process, the superior properties of hydroxyethyl cellulose include compatibility with most gums, resins and inorganic salts, low foaming, low oxygen consumption and the ability to form a smooth surface film. The film has lower surface permeability and stronger gloss, and can also reduce costs. Paper sized with hydroxyethyl cellulose for high quality prints. In the manufacture of water-based ink, the water-based ink thickened with hydroxyethyl cellulose dries quickly, has good color diffusion, and does not produce sticking.

8 fabric

It can be used as binder and sizing agent in fabric printing and dyeing paste and latex paint; thickener for sizing material on the back of carpet. In glass fiber, it is used as molding agent and binder; in leather pulp, it can be used as modifier and binder. Provides a wide viscosity range for these coatings or adhesives, resulting in a more uniform and fast settling of the coating and improved print clarity.

9 ceramics

High strength binder for formulating ceramics.

10 toothpaste

It can be used as a thickener in toothpaste manufacture.


Post time: Sep-24-2022