Hydroxypropy methyl cellulose is used in different industries！
Product form:White to off-white powder
Hydroxypropyl Content: 9-12%
Methoxyl Content: 18-24%
Viscosity: 300-200,000 mPa.s
CAS No.: 9004-65-3
Email: sales03@eclatmat.com
Tel: +86-155 2251 6763
Free samples are available!
Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose is used in far more products than most buyers realize, because it almost never appears on the finished label. It is the powder inside the tile adhesive bag, the reason a tub of wall putty does not slump, the polymer that keeps a paint film from drying too fast and the ingredient that gives a detergent its smooth, stable body. Wherever a recipe needs water to be held, a liquid to be thickened or a surface to be coated evenly, HPMC quietly does the job.
The technical reason it appears in so many different products is that hydroxypropyl methylcellulose is not one function but a bundle of them. It thickens water across a viscosity range of 300–200,000 mPa·s, holds water against porous or drying surfaces at a retention rate of 90% or more, forms flexible films, suspends particles and gels reversibly at 65–75°C — and because it is nonionic it stays inert next to cement, salts and surfactants.
Every batch of hydroxypropyl methylcellulose is produced to the same specification and verified in the laboratory before release. A certificate of analysis accompanies each shipment.
| Parameter | Specification |
|---|---|
| Appearance | White or off-white powder |
| Viscosity | 300–200,000 mPa·s |
| Methoxyl content | 19–30% |
| Hydroxypropyl content | 4–12% |
| Bulk density | 350–450 kg/m³ |
| pH value | 6.0–7.0 |
| Water retention rate | ≥90% |
| Gelation temperature | 65–75°C |
Instead of a bare list of industries, it helps to look at the actual product and the exact job HPMC performs inside it.
In a bagged tile adhesive, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose is used in two ways at once. First it holds mixing water in the fresh mortar — retention of 90% or more — so cement hydrates fully against a thirsty tile or block instead of losing water in seconds. Second it thickens the wet mix so the adhesive stays where it was troweled, does not slump under the tile and keeps an open time long enough for the installer to position and adjust. The same combination carries over to renders, screeds, putties and joint compounds.
Inside a can of emulsion paint, HPMC plays three parts. It thickens the wet paint to the brushing and rolling consistency the applicator expects, it suspends titanium dioxide and fillers so they do not settle into a hard cake on the shelf, and as water leaves the fresh film it slows the drying just enough for the paint to level out brush marks. The nonionic character matters here: it stays stable alongside the latex and surfactants in the can.
Liquid detergents, dishwash gels and shampoos use hydroxypropyl methylcellulose for viscosity and clarity. It thickens the formula to a pourable, controllable body, stabilizes suspended actives and droplets, and resists the salts and surfactants that would destabilize a charged thickener. Because it is a neutral, water-soluble cellulose ether it also rinses cleanly, which formulators value in rinse-off products.
Every grade we supply is shipped in one dependable export format: a standard 25 kg bag with consistent net weight on every unit.
One supplier, one standard across every application above. These are the reasons formulators keep reordering.
Every production batch is tested in our own laboratory before release — viscosity, methoxyl and hydroxypropyl content, pH, water retention rate and gelation temperature are verified against the specification sheet, and a certificate of analysis (COA) is issued for each shipment. Our chemists also help you match the right grade to your formulation and target viscosity.
Beyond the standard 25 kg bag, we offer flexible packaging customization — private-label and OEM bags printed with your brand, custom labelling for local markets, and packing formats arranged to your warehouse or project requirements. Share your specification with the order and we will confirm the details before production.
Construction materials consume the largest share: tile adhesives, dry mix mortars, plasters, renders, putties and joint compounds. After that come water-based paints and coatings, then liquid detergents, personal care products, ceramics and polymerization processes such as PVC suspension. In all of them HPMC works behind the scenes as thickener or water retention agent.
HPMC is used in pharmaceutical capsules, tablet coatings and some food applications where a neutral, water-soluble film former or stabilizer is required. Those applications call for grades produced and certified to the relevant purity standard; tell us your target market and we will confirm which grade documentation applies before you order.
Two jobs. It holds water in the fresh mortar so the cement cures completely against the tile and substrate, and it thickens the wet mix so the adhesive stays in place, resists slumping and keeps an open time long enough for positioning. Water retention of 90% or more is the number to check on the COA.
Because both are water-based systems that need the same three behaviors: thickening to a usable consistency, stabilizing suspended solids or droplets, and tolerating the other ingredients in the formula. HPMC is nonionic, so it stays effective in paints full of latex and surfactants and in detergents full of salts — an ionic thickener would fail in one of those.
Start with the viscosity your product needs — anywhere in the 300–200,000 mPa·s range — then confirm the other parameters: appearance, pH 6.0–7.0, bulk density 350–450 kg/m³ and water retention ≥90%. Send us your formulation type and target consistency and we will recommend the grade, backed by a COA on every batch.
Yes. Free samples and the batch COA ship typically within 24 hours of your inquiry to sales03@eclatmat.com, so you can verify the thickening, water retention and film behavior in your actual product before committing to a production order.
Tell us which product you make and the role HPMC should play in it. We will recommend the right grade, confirm pricing and dispatch a free sample — typically within 24 hours.
Email sales03@eclatmat.comTIANJIN ECLAT CO.,LTD.....[ read more>>]
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E-mail: sales03@eclatmat.com
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