1. Properties of hydroxyethyl cellulose

This product is white or light yellow odorless and easy flowing powder, 40 mesh sieve rate ≥99%; softening temperature: 135-140°C; apparent density: 0.35-0.61g/ml; decomposition temperature: 205-210°C; burning speed Slower; equilibrium temperature: 23°C; 6% at 50%rh, 29% at 84%rh.

It is soluble in both cold water and hot water, and generally insoluble in most organic solvents. The viscosity changes slightly in the range of PH value 2-12, but the viscosity decreases beyond this range.

2. Important properties

As a non-ionic surfactant, hydroxyethyl cellulose has the following properties in addition to thickening, suspending, binding, floating, film-forming, dispersing, water retention and providing protective colloid:

1. HEC is soluble in hot water or cold water, and does not precipitate at high temperature or boiling, which makes it have a wide range of solubility, viscosity characteristics and non-thermal gelation.

2. It is non-ionic and can coexist with a wide range of other water-soluble polymers, surfactants, and salts. It is an excellent colloidal thickener for high-concentration electrolyte solutions.

3. The water retention capacity is twice as high as that of methyl cellulose, and it has better flow regulation.

4. Compared with the recognized methyl cellulose and hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose, HEC has the worst dispersing ability, but the strongest protective colloid ability.

3. The use of hydroxyethyl cellulose

Generally used as thickeners, protective agents, adhesives, stabilizers and additives for the preparation of emulsions, jellies, ointments, lotions, eye cleansers, suppositories and tablets, and also used as hydrophilic gels, skeleton materials, It can be used to prepare matrix-type sustained-release preparations, and can also be used as a stabilizer in food.