Questions About Hydroxypropyl Methyl Cellulose-HPMC

During communication with customers, we find that there are many customers have questions regarding Hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose-HPMC. In order to let you know this product more, hereby, we would like to share some main questions about HPMC, Hope it is helpful for you.

Q: What is the main application of Hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose-HPMC?

A: According to the different applications, Hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose-HPMC include, construction grade, pharmaceutical grade, food grade, PVC grade, personal care grade, oil drilling grade etc. Mainly used in construction dry mortar, pharmaceutical, food and beverage, detergent ＆ personal care products and oil drilling etc.

Q:How many classification of hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose-HPMC?

A:Currently, there are 3 classifications of HPMC.

1)Purity HPMC

2)Purity HPMC with surface treatment.

3)Modified HPMC

Q: What is the difference between purity HPMC, surface treated HPMC and Modified HPMC?

1) Purity HPMC

This kind of HPMC is very difficult to solve in cold water directly. So, it is mainly used in dry mix products. When you add it into cold water directly, the particles that first touch the water will filming and start forming agglomerates. But for dry mix products, normally need to dry mix other materials with HPMC, so there are many other granules between the HPMC granules. On this situation, HPMC can’t form film and agglomerates when exposure to cold water, the viscosity will start to increase immediately.

2) Purity HPMC with surface treatment.

This kind of HPMC could disperse in cold water, but at the starting of disperse, there is no viscosity shown in the solution. After two minutes, the viscosity of solution start to increase and finally form the transparent solution.

3) Modified HPMC

This kind of HPMC is not purity, content other additives to reach specific property as per different requirements of the applications.

Q:The dosage of Hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose-HPMC?

A:It depends on different formulation, temperature and the quality of other additives. Normally, the dosage in dry mix mortar product is 0.3%. If the temperature is high in summer, normally it need to increase the dosage to 0.4% or 0.5%.

Q:What are the main raw materials of hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose-HPMC?

A:Main raw material include: Refined cotton, Methyl chloride and propylene oxide.

Q: What is the gelation temperature of hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose-HPMC?

Hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose-HPMC will lost viscosity and form gelation when the temperature is over its gelation temperature. But as the temperature get down, it will redisperse in solution and form the transparent solution with viscosity again. The viscosity and water retention will drop as the temperature increase. This is the reason why the dosage of HPMC will be a little higher in summer.