Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose (HPMC) is a non-ionic cellulose ether with good thickening, water retention, film-forming and bonding properties, and is widely used in the industrial field. HPMC is made of natural polymer cellulose through chemical modification, has high safety and excellent physical and chemical properties, and is particularly suitable for water-based systems.

1. Building materials industry

HPMC is most widely used in the construction industry, mainly in dry-mixed mortar systems, and plays the following roles:
Water retention: In cement or gypsum-based mortar, HPMC can significantly improve water retention, delay water evaporation, ensure that cement or gypsum has enough time to hydrate, and improve strength.
Thickening effect: Enhance the adhesion and anti-sagging properties of mortar, improve construction performance, especially in materials such as tile adhesives, caulking agents, and self-leveling floors.
Lubrication and construction properties: Improve the spreadability and fluidity during construction, reduce the resistance of construction tools, and improve construction efficiency.
Delaying setting time: In applications that require extended operation time, such as large-area construction, HPMC can delay the solidification speed of the material and facilitate operation.
Application products include: tile adhesive, masonry mortar, plaster mortar, gypsum-based materials, self-leveling mortar, exterior wall insulation system, etc.

2. Coatings and paint industry

HPMC is widely used in latex paints and water-based paints as a thickener, stabilizer, and film-forming agent:
Thickening effect: Provides good viscosity and rheological properties, prevents pigment sedimentation, and improves coating properties.
Film-forming property: HPMC can form a transparent and tough film to improve the gloss and flatness of the coating surface.
Anti-splashing effect: Controls the fluidity and splashing of the coating, especially suitable for roller coating construction.
HPMC can also be used as a binder in the premixing process of powder coatings.

3. Daily chemical industry

In daily chemical products such as detergents, toothpastes, and skin care products, HPMC has the characteristics of safety, mildness, and non-irritation, and is often used in:
Thickener: Increase the viscosity of shampoo, hand sanitizer, etc. to make the product thicker.
Emulsifier stabilizer: Used in emulsions and paste skin care products to improve the stability of the formula.
Moisturizer: Moisturizes in skin care products and prevents skin cracking.
Film-forming agent: Forms a film in conditioners, styling gels, etc. to enhance the feel of use.

4. Pharmaceutical industry

HPMC is mainly used as a coating material, skeleton material, and sustained-release carrier for tablets in the pharmaceutical industry. Its advantages are as follows:
Tablet binder: Improve the formability and disintegration of drug particles
Sustained-release preparation skeleton: Used to control the release rate of drugs in the body and manufacture sustained-release tablets or controlled-release tablets.
Coating material: As a film coating agent, it beautifies the appearance of tablets, masks odors, and improves stability.
Capsule substitute: HPMC can replace gelatin to make vegetarian capsules, and is widely used in plant-derived medicines and health products.

5. Ceramic industry

HPMC mainly plays the role of thickening, bonding and water retention in ceramic bodies and glazes, improving the body molding performance and body glaze bonding:
Water retention makes the body dry more evenly and avoids cracking.
The thickening effect improves the uniformity of the glazing process.
Effectively enhances the bonding and strength of tile pressing during molding.

6. Plastic and polymer processing

In the field of plastic processing, HPMC is used as:
Release agent: Provides good demolding effect during the molding process of plastics such as PVC and polyethylene.
Flow aid: Improves the fluidity and processing performance of plastic powder.
Plasticizer replacement: As a natural polymer additive, it improves product toughness.

7. Agriculture and other fields

Agriculture: HPMC can be used for pesticide suspensions and fertilizer granule coatings to improve product dispersibility and sustained release.
Papermaking industry: As a surface sizing agent, it improves the surface strength and smoothness of paper.
Textile industry: used as a thickener for printing and dyeing slurry to improve sizing efficiency and yarn softness.
Oilfield industry: used in drilling mud to improve rheological properties, carrying capacity and lubricity.
HPMC plays an irreplaceable role in many industrial fields due to its non-toxic, environmentally friendly and versatile features. Whether in construction, daily chemicals, medicine, or in ceramics, plastics, agriculture and other industries, HPMC improves product performance and processing technology with its excellent physical and chemical properties, and is an important functional polymer material in modern industry.