What is the Difference Between Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose and Hydroxyethylcellulose

There are differences between hydroxypropylmethylcellulose and hydroxyethylcellulose in terms of properties, uses and solubility. See explanation below for details.

1. Different Features

Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose cas 9004 65 3: (HPMC) is white or similar white fiber or granular powder, belonging to various nonionic cellulose mixed ethers. It is a semi-synthetic non-reactive viscoelastic polymer.

Hydroxyethyl cellulose cas 9004 62 0: (HEC) is a white or yellow, odorless and non-toxic fiber or powder solid. It is made by etherification of alkaline cellulose and ethylene oxide (or chlorohydrin). It belongs to non-ionic soluble cellulose ether.

2. Different Uses.

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

Hydroxyethyl cellulose: used as binder, surfactant, colloidal protective agent, dispersant, emulsifier and dispersion stabilizer. Widely used in coatings, inks, fibers, dyeing, papermaking, cosmetics, pesticides, mineral processing, oil recovery and other fields.

3. The Solubility is Different.

Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose: almost insoluble in absolute ethanol, ether and acetone. Clear or slightly cloudy colloidal solution dissolved in cold water.

Hydroxyethyl cellulose: it has thickening, suspending, binding, emulsifying, dispersing, moisturizing and other properties. It can prepare solutions in different viscosity ranges and has excellent salt solubility for electrolytes.

Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose has the characteristics of thickening ability, low salt resistance, pH stability, water retention, dimensional stability, excellent film-forming property, wide range of enzyme resistance, dispersibility and cohesiveness.