Hydroxyethyl Methyl Cellulose
↵
Your Leading Kaimaoxing Cellulose (Shandong) Co.,Ltd. Supplier
The Kaimaoxing factory was established in 2007. The boss and two experienced technical experts who came out of state-owned enterprises began to explore and embarked on the road of cellulose production. The first stage, 2008, ushered in the spring of China's real estate. The government commercialized houses, which set off the first small wave of real estate in Chinese history. A steady stream. With the gradual increase in orders from the factory, the factory expanded its production capacity for the first time and added production lines. At this time, our customers were all domestic. Until 2016, we increased the orders of many traders, who continuously sold the goods of Kaimaoxing factory to all over the world. In order to adapt to the needs of domestic competition and keep in line with foreign situations, we have been expanding our scientific research personnel and technical personnel.
Why Choose Us?
High quality
Our products are manufactured or executed to very high standards, using the finest materials and manufacturing processes.
Rich experience
We are serving more than 2,000 customers, provide reasonable solutions for joint agent applications and other fields.
Demand and application
We have been committed to research more applications of products will expand more products to meet the different needs of customers.
Technology support
From the two technical personnel when the factory was first established to the current technical team of 22.
What is Hydroxyethyl Methyl Cellulose？
Methyl Hydroxyethyl Cellulose (MHEC) is a type of cellulose ether that is derived from cellulose, a natural polymer found in the cell walls of plants. Similar to Hydroxyethyl Cellulose (HEC), MHEC is chemically modified to introduce both methyl and hydroxyethyl groups onto the cellulose backbone. This modification enhances its water solubility and other properties, making it useful in various industrial applications.
Benefits of Hydroxyethyl Methyl Cellulose
Solubility: Soluble in water and some organic solvents. HEMC can be dissolved in cold water. Its highest concentration is only determined by viscosity. Solubility varies with viscosity. The lower the viscosity, the greater the solubility.
Salt resistance: HEMC products are non-ionic cellulose ethers and are not polyelectrolytes, so they are relatively stable in aqueous solutions when metal salts or organic electrolytes exist, but excessive addition of electrolytes can cause gelation and precipitation.
Surface activity: Due to the surface active function of the aqueous solution, it can be used as a colloidal protective agent, emulsifier and dispersant.
Thermal gel: When the HEMC product aqueous solution is heated to a certain temperature, it becomes opaque, gels, and precipitates, but when it is continuously cooled, it returns to the original solution state, and the gel and precipitation occur. The temperature mainly depends on their lubricants, suspending aids, protective colloids, emulsifiers, etc.
Metabolic inertness and low odor and fragrance: HEMC is widely used in food and medicine because it will not be metabolized and has low odor and fragrance.
Mildew resistance: HEMC has relatively good mildew resistance and good viscosity stability during long-term storage.
PH stability: The viscosity of the aqueous solution of HEMC products is hardly affected by acid or alkali, and the pH value is relatively stable in the range of 3.0-11.0.
Application of Hydroxyethyl Methyl Cellulose
1. Thickening agent
Methyl hydroxyethyl cellulose uses to thickener in cosmetic products such as shampoos and conditioners because it can form a film on hair strands. This film makes hair appear smooth and shiny. In addition, the material coats the hair strands to protect them from water damage. Because it is water-soluble, methyl hydroxyethyl cellulose does not cause build-up on hair strands after repeated use of the product containing it.
2. Medicine
You may have taken methyl hydroxyethyl cellulose without even knowing it. That's because this substance has been used in manufacturing pharmaceutical products for decades. It works as an excipient (a sense included with an active drug that binds together all ingredients). Furthermore, methyl hydroxyethyl cellulose can be used to coat pills and help slow down their release into the body.
3. Binding agent
Methyl hydroxyethyl cellulose is an excellent binding agent or adhesive because it forms a gel when mixed with water. The substance is often used in the manufacture of pills and capsules because it binds together different pill components to create uniform tablets that are easy to swallow.
4. Paper production
Due to the low toxicity of the compound and its ability to improve the properties of paper while decreasing production costs, MHE has gained wide acceptance in the paper manufacturing industry. It can be used as a dry strength agent in paper production to increase tensile strength without increasing gram mage; it can also be used as a pigment binder in paper coatings and water retention agents in paper due to its good properties as a dispersing agent.
5. Dispersing agent
When mixed with other chemicals, this compound works as a dispersing agent because it absorbs water to form a gel while keeping the ingredients in suspension. This makes it useful in various applications, including household products like laundry detergent, foods like whipped cream, cosmetics like toothpaste, and pharmaceuticals like cough syrups or eye drops.
6. Soil stabilizers
Methyl hydroxyethyl cellulose (MHEC) is used as a soil stabilizer to increase the yield of crops on marginal land and in areas where irrigation is not practical. The product can be mixed with water and applied to soil to improve moisture retention during dry periods or when rainfall is sparse. When incorporated into fertilizer formulas, MHEC allows nutrients to remain available to plants over more extended periods than untreated fertilizers.
7. Moisturizer and surfactant
Methyl hydroxyethyl cellulose (MHEC) is also used as a moisturizer and surfactant in cosmetics, baby lotions, shampoos, and bath oils. A surfactant is a wetting agent that lowers the surface tension of liquids and allows them to spread over a surface. It can be used as an emulsifier that keeps water-based and oil-based ingredients mixed in cosmetics.
8. Herbicide
Some farmers use Methylcellulose as an herbicide. When mixed with water and sprinkled on certain plants, it can help prevent growth or kill the plant entirely. The gel-like substance helps the herbicide stay in place without being washed away by water or carried away by the wind.
9. Concrete mixes
Concrete mixes using Methylcellulose are commonly used for their smoothness and strength. Methylcellulose is used to coat the interior surface of concrete pipes, giving them a uniform thickness that reduces wear over time. This method also produces lines resistant to cracking when exposed to water, heat, or other harsh conditions.
10.Food production
Methylcellulose is commonly used as an ingredient in the production of commercially-made ice cream due to its ability to stabilize the product. It serves as an alternative to gelatin and vegetable gum such as guar gum and locust bean gum. The chemical compound is also added to baked goods, salad dressings, and salad gums. It helps prevent sugar crystallization and increases the shelf life of food products by controlling moisture content.
11. Cement
Methylcellulose helps increase the efficiency of cement by prolonging water retention and hydration reactions. This helps reduce the amount of glue required during construction projects, ultimately lowering costs. The chemical compound can also be added to concrete mixes to improve their structural properties, such as flexural strength, compressive strength, and tensile strength.
12. Oil drilling
Methyl hydroxyethyl cellulose uses is also used in oil drilling operations to thicken liquids used in the exploration process. This helps ensure that the fluid can be pumped through pipes without dripping or spilling, making them less effective at their intended function.
13. Cosmetics
Methyl hydroxyethyl cellulose is found in many cosmetic products, including hair sprays, shampoos, conditioners, toothpaste, and soaps. Like other uses for methyl hydroxyethyl cellulose, it's used to increase the viscosity of these products and make them easier to apply.
14. Paints and coatings
Methyl hydroxyethyl cellulose, also known as MHEC and Methylcellulose, is a thickening agent used in paints and coatings. The chemical compound can help prevent paint from sagging and dripping when it dries. The combination can also help provide the color with extra adhesion, making it helpful in constructing buildings. MHEC is commonly used as a thickening agent in decorative paints. Decorative paints are not as strong as structural paints, so they need thickening agents to help them adhere to walls and other surfaces without breaking apart or peeling away. MHEC provides water resistance to decorative paints, making it more difficult for walls to become damaged by exposure to water. It also helps make paint that has been applied easier to clean.
Material of Hydroxyethyl Methyl Cellulose
Hydroxyethyl methyl cellulose (HEMC) is a non-ionic cellulose mixed ether made from cotton and wood through alkalization, ethylene oxide and methyl chloride etherification. HEMC is widely used in water-based latex coatings, construction and building materials, printing ink, oil drilling and other fields. Its properties are similar to HPMC, but the presence of hydroxyethyl makes HEMC more soluble in water, the solution is more compatible with salt, and has a higher condensation temperature.
Process of Hydroxyethyl Methyl Cellulose
Which takes refined cotton as raw material and uses ethylene oxide as etherification agent to prepare hydroxyethyl methyl cellulose.the raw materials for the preparation of hydroxyethyl methyl cellulose by weight are as follows: Toluene and isopropanol mixture 700 ~ 800 as solvent, water 30 ~ 40, sodium hydroxide 70 ~ 80, refined cotton 80 ~ 85, ethylene oxide 20 ~ 28, methane chloride 80 ~ 90, glacial acetic acid 16 ~ 19;
Specific steps are as follows:
Alkalization
The material cooling to 30 ~ 50℃, add refined cotton, toluene and isopropanol mixture of solvent spray, vacuum to- 0.006mpa, filled with nitrogen for 3 times of replacement, after the replacement of alkalization, alkalization conditions: Alkalization time for 2 hours, alkalization temperature of 30℃ 50℃;
Etherification: Alkalization is over, the reaction kettle is vacuumed to 0.05 ~ 0.07mpa, and ethylene oxide and chloromethane are added for 30 ~ 50 minutes.the first stage of etherification: 40 ~ 60℃, 1.0 ~ 2.0 hours, the pressure is controlled between 0.15-0.3mpa;the second stage of etherification: 60 ~ 90℃, 2.0 ~ 2.5 hours, the pressure is controlled between 0.4-0.8 mpa; In the reaction kettle, add toluene and isopropanol mixture, water, and sodium hydroxide, temperature to 60 ~ 80℃, heat preservation 20 ~ 40 minutes;
Neutralization: Add the measured glacial acetic acid in the desolution kettle in advance, press into the etherized material for neutralization, temperature rise 75 ~ 80℃ for desolution, the temperature rises to 102℃, ph value is 6-8 for the desolution is completed;in the desolvation kettle filled with 90℃ ~ 100℃ after the reverse osmosis treatment of tap water;
Centrifugal washing: The material in the fourth step is centrifuged through the horizontal spiral centrifuge, and the separated material is transferred to the washing kettle filled with hot water in advance for material washing;
Centrifugal drying: The material after washing is transported into the dryer through the horizontal spiral centrifuge, and the material is dried at 150 ~ 170℃. The dry material is crushed and packaged.
4 Methods Teach You to Identify the Real and Fake Of Hydroxyethyl Cellulose (HEC)
Hydroxyethyl cellulose is mainly used in paint industry, of course, it is also used in the oilfield industry, cosmetics, medicine and other fields, but the most widely application is for paints, so the fraud is mostly in the field of paint.
Take samples from different bags after receiving the Hydroxyethyl cellulose, and then spread the samples in a glassware. If the samples are found to be uneven in color and particle size, then the HEC may be doped with other types of additives. If the hydroxyethyl cellulose is found to have a flocculent needle-like state, the HEC may be doped with other methyl cellulose ether.
Take a sample of 5.0g of hydroxyethyl cellulose , place it in a volumetric flask and dry it in an oven at 105 ℃ for two hours. Then take it out of the oven and cool it in a desiccator. If the cellulose ether is found to be agglomerated, It is more likely that this is HEC. Of course, it cannot be completely concluded from this. If the dried sample is found to be loose, then it can be basically concluded that the sample is not hydroxyethyl cellulose.
The easiest way is to find a beaker, prepare the HEC solution and heat it to 100 ℃ in a water bath. If the solution is still transparent and clear, it can basically be concluded that the sample is pure HEC. If the solution is heated to 100 ℃ and the solution turns into a milky white solution and a flocculent precipitate appears during the temperature increase, this sample is definitely not pure HEC because pure HEC does not have a gelation temperature.
The most reliable way is to test its group content, which is generally detected by gas chromatography. If other groups other than hydroxyethoxy are detected in the sample, it means that the sample is definitely not pure HEC.
The Difference Between HPMC and MHEC
Thermal stability
Thermal stability of HPMC and MHEC is affected by their gel temperature. In general, the gel temperature of HPMC is around 60℃-75℃ depending on its group content and different production technique. Due to the characteristics of MHEC group, it has a higher gel temperature, usually > 80℃. Therefore its stability under high temperature is better that HPMC. On the other hand, because there are more hydrophilic groups in the structure of MHEC, it has better hydrophilicity. The water retention rate of MHEC in mortar is a little higher than HPMC at the same dosage of products with the same viscosity.In practical construction, in the hot construction environment in summer, the water holding capacity of MHEC with the same viscosity and dosage is better than that of HPMC. Especially in the Southeast Asian countries and India, mortar will sometimes be constructed at high temperature. Cellulose ether with low gel temperature will lose its thickening and water retention at high temperature, thereby accelerating the hardening of mortar, and affects the construction.
Process difference
HPMC is a non-ionic cellulose ether made from refined cotton after alkalization, using propylene oxide and methyl chloride as etherification agents, through a series of reactions; and MHEC is produced from refined cotton after alkalization treatment, using ethylene oxide and methyl chloride as etherification agents, after a series of reactions, because the storage and use risk factor of ethylene oxide is higher than that of propylene oxide, so The production technology and process requirements of MHEC are higher. There are fewer manufacturers and the price of MHEC is higher than that of HPMC.
Performance index difference
The gel temperature of MHEC is higher, generally the gel temperature can reach about 78-85 ℃; while the gel temperature of HPMC is generally about 60-75 ℃, so HPMC is not as effective as MHEC in high temperature resistance. This is the main reason why many customers in hot areas choose MHEC.Generally speaking, the water retention of MHEC is higher than that of HPMC, but there is no big difference. Considering the cost and price, if there is not high requirements for the gel temperature, customers generally prefer HPMC. Furthermore, the viscosity stability, mildew resistance, and dispersibility of MHEC are generally higher than that of HPMC.
Application difference
The application fields of HPMC and MHEC are basically the same. They are both widely used in construction mortar, putty, coatings, daily chemicals, ceramics, papermaking, etc. Among the real stone paint, the effect of using MHEC is better. These two products are mainly used in construction. The main difference is gel temperature. The high temperature resistance of MHEC is better.
Our Factory
Kaimaoxing Factory has focused on the production of cellulose for 15 years. During the 15 years, it has expanded its production line and floor space twice, serving more than 2,000 domestic customers. Provide reasonable solutions for joint agent applications and other fields.
FAQ
As one of the most professional hydroxyethyl methyl cellulose manufacturers and suppliers in China, we're featured by quality products and good service. Please rest assured to buy high-grade hydroxyethyl methyl cellulose at competitive price from our factory.
RDP for Gypsum, Vinyl Acetate Ethylene Redispersible Powder, Industrial Grade HEMC