Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose gel temperature problem

- Cellulose Ether
February 20th 2023

Many users rarely pay attention to the gel temperature of hydroxypropyl methylcellulose. Now, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose is generally distinguished by viscosity, but for some special environments and industries, it is not enough to only reflect the viscosity of the product. Yes, the following briefly introduces the gel temperature of hydroxypropyl methylcellulose.
The amount of methoxy group is directly related to the degree of etherification of cellulose ether, and the content of methoxy group is adjusted by controlling the formula, reaction temperature and reaction time. At the same time, the degree of etherification affects the degree of substitution of hydroxyethyl or hydroxypropyl. Therefore, the water retention of cellulose ethers with high gel temperature is generally a little worse. This production process needs to be explored, so it is not that the methoxy content is low, the price of cellulose ether is low, on the contrary, the price will be higher. The gel temperature is determined by the methoxy group, and the water retention is determined by the hydroxypropoxy group. There are only three substitutable groups on cellulose. Find your suitable use temperature, suitable water retention, and then determine the model of this cellulose. The gel temperature is a critical point for the application of cellulose ether. When the ambient temperature exceeds the gel temperature, the cellulose ether will precipitate out of water and lose water retention. The gel temperature of cellulose ether on the market can basically meet the needs of the environment in which the mortar is used (except for special environments). Manufacturers, it is necessary to consider.