What is the difference between hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose and hydroxyethyl cellulose?

The differences between hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose and hydroxyethyl cellulose include different properties, different uses and different solubility.

1. Different characteristics

Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose: (HPMC) white or similar white fiber or granular powder, belonging to various non-ionic cellulose mixed ethers. It is a semi synthetic, inactive viscoelastic polymer.

Hydroxyethyl cellulose: (HEC) is a white or yellow, tasteless, non-toxic fiber or powder solid. It is formed by etherification of alkaline cellulose and ethylene oxide (or chloroethanol). It belongs to non-ionic soluble cellulose ether.

2. Different uses

Hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose: as a thickener, dispersant and stabilizer in the coating industry, it has good solubility in water or organic solvents. As a paint remover, PVC is used for suspension polymerization to prepare PVC, and is widely used in leather, paper products, fruit and vegetable preservation and textile industry.

Hydroxyethyl cellulose: used as adhesive, surfactant, colloidal protective agent, dispersant, emulsifier and dispersion stabilizer. It is widely used in the fields of paint, ink, fiber, dyeing, papermaking, cosmetics, pesticides, mineral processing, oil recovery and medicine.

3. Different solubility

Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose: almost insoluble in absolute ethanol, ether and acetone; Dissolve in clear or slightly turbid colloidal solution in cold water.

Hydroxyethyl cellulose: it has the characteristics of thickening, suspension, adhesion, emulsification, dispersion and moisturizing. It can prepare solutions with different viscosity ranges and has excellent salt solubility for electrolytes.