HPMC (Hydroxypropyl Methyl Cellulose) is a common synthetic polymer that is widely used in various industrial fields due to its excellent physical and chemical properties. HPMC has good thickening, film-forming, bonding, lubrication, water retention and stabilization properties, so it has been widely used in many industries such as construction, pharmaceuticals, food, personal care products, etc.
1. Construction Industry
HPMC occupies an important position in the construction industry, especially in cement-based materials and gypsum-based materials. Due to its excellent thickening, water retention and bonding properties, it is widely used in the following aspects:
Tile Adhesive: HPMC can increase the construction performance of tile adhesive, improve its anti-sagging and bonding strength. It can play a role in water retention in tile adhesive and prolong the drying time, thereby ensuring better bonding effect.
Mortar and Putty Powder: In dry mortar and putty powder, HPMC can improve the workability of mortar, increase water retention, and prevent cracks during drying. In addition, it can enhance the adhesion and anti-sagging properties of mortar, especially in high temperature environments, its water retention capacity can prevent the mortar from losing water too quickly.
Self-leveling floor materials: HPMC improves the fluidity and anti-delamination of self-leveling floor materials by adjusting rheology, thereby ensuring the flatness and uniformity of the floor.
Waterproof coatings: The film-forming property of HPMC makes it an ideal additive for waterproof coatings. It can improve the adhesion, flexibility and water resistance of the coating and prolong the waterproof effect.
2. Pharmaceutical industry
In the pharmaceutical industry, HPMC is mainly used as an excipient in pharmaceutical preparations. Due to its good biocompatibility and non-toxicity, it is widely used in oral tablets, capsules, ophthalmic preparations, etc.:
Tablet coating material: HPMC is a commonly used film-forming material for tablet coating, which can form a uniform protective film, improve the stability and controlled release of drugs. Its solubility and release characteristics can be regulated by adjusting the chemical structure to meet different drug release requirements.
Capsule shell: HPMC can be used as the main component of plant capsules, providing vegetarians with a non-animal capsule shell option. In addition, the stability and moisture resistance of HPMC capsules are also better than traditional gelatin capsules.
Ophthalmic preparations: HPMC is widely used in ophthalmic drug preparations, especially in eye drops and artificial tears, due to its moisturizing and lubricating properties, to help relieve dry eyes and discomfort.
3. Food industry
HPMC is mainly used as a thickener, stabilizer, emulsifier, film former and water retainer in the food industry. Because it is non-toxic, tasteless, odorless and has good water solubility and thermal stability, it is widely used in a variety of foods:
Baked foods: In baked foods, HPMC can be used as an ingredient to replace gluten, helping gluten-free products to obtain a taste and structure similar to traditional baked foods. It can also improve the water retention of dough and prevent water loss during baking.
Dairy products and ice cream: HPMC is used as a stabilizer and thickener in dairy products to prevent protein coagulation and maintain the uniformity of the product. In ice cream, it helps improve the taste, prevent ice crystal formation, and keep the product delicate and smooth.
Vegetarian meat substitutes: Due to its excellent film-forming and structure-forming abilities, HPMC is widely used in vegetarian meat substitutes to help mimic the texture and taste of meat products.
4. Personal care and cosmetics industry
HPMC is widely used in personal care products, especially in skin care products, shampoo, conditioner and toothpaste. Its main functions include thickening, film-forming, moisturizing and stabilizing:
Skin care products and lotions: HPMC can be used as a thickener in skin care products to provide the product with a smooth feel and good spreadability. It can also form a protective film on the skin surface to prevent water loss and keep the skin moisturized.
Shampoo and conditioner: In shampoo and conditioner, HPMC can adjust the viscosity of the product, provide an ideal texture, and enhance the stability of the washing foam, bringing a better use experience.
Toothpaste: HPMC, as a thickener for toothpaste, can keep the toothpaste in a stable paste form and avoid separation during use. In addition, it can also provide lubrication for toothpaste and improve the cleaning effect.
5. Coatings and inks industry
In the field of coatings and inks, HPMC plays a key role as a thickener and film former:
Water-based coatings: HPMC in water-based coatings can increase the viscosity and stability of the coating, prevent pigment precipitation, and improve the leveling and adhesion of the coating. It can also increase the moisture retention and gloss of the coating and extend the service life.
Printing inks: In printing inks, HPMC can be used as a thickener to improve the rheology and stability of the ink, ensuring that the ink is evenly distributed and adheres to the surface of the printed material during the printing process.
6. Other applications
Ceramic industry: HPMC is used as a plasticizer and binder in ceramic production to help improve the molding properties of ceramic blanks and the strength during the drying process, and reduce cracking.
Agriculture: In the agricultural field, HPMC can be used in the formulation of pesticides and fertilizers as a thickener and stabilizer to improve the adhesion and effectiveness of the product and extend its residence time on the surface of plants.
Electronics industry: The application of HPMC in the electronics industry includes as a binder in battery electrode materials, helping to improve battery performance and service life.
HPMC is a multifunctional polymer with excellent performance. Due to its excellent thickening, water retention, film-forming and other properties, it has broad application prospects in many industries such as construction, pharmaceuticals, food, personal care, and coatings. With the continuous advancement of technology and the diversification of market demand, the application field of HPMC is still expanding, showing its important position in modern industry.