HEC

Hydroxyethyl Cellulose

Mikazone® Hydroxyethyl cellulose (HEC) is a nonionic, water-soluble polymer that can thicken, suspend, bind, emulsify, form films, stabilize, disperse, retain water, and provide protective colloid action. 

HEC Profile

Product overview

Hydroxyethyl cellulose (HEC) polymer is a hydroxyethyl ether of cellulose, obtained by treating cellulose with sodium hydroxide and reacting with ethylene oxide. They are available as white free-flowing granular powders that easily dissolve in cold and hot water to give transparent solutions with varying viscosities depending on polymer concentration, type, and temperature.

Aqueous solutions of HEC have excellent characteristics for applications as thickeners, water-retention agents, suspending and dispersing agents, and as protective colloids. HEC polymers are largely used as water-binder and thickening agents in many industrial applications, that is, personal care products, pharmaceutical formulations, building materials, adhesives, etc., and as stabilizers for liquid soaps.

Nature-derived from sustainably sourced cellulose, Mikazone® HEC offers narrow viscosity ranges, consistent viscosity reproducibility, and excellent solution clarities. Mikazone® Hydroxyethyl Cellulose (HEC)  has been specifically modified to be applied in a wide range of applications from waterborne architectural coatings, emulsion protective colloids for polymerization. 

Mikazone™ HEC product packaging

Features / 01

Excellent Thickening Efficiency

Mikazone® Hydroxyethyl Cellulose (HEC) is an excellent thickener in water-based paint and coatings. The thickening efficiency is excellent, with a wide range of viscosity grades to choose from, and any desired thickening effect can be obtained. For latex paint, it helps to realize excellent application properties. With its high performance in thickening, MikaZone® HEC helps to improve paint abrasion ability and excellent coating ability without flocculation.

Features / 02

water retention

Mikazone® Hydroxyethyl Cellulose(HEC) is conducive to maintaining the water at desired levels in the formulation. Adding Mikazone® HEC can provide high water retention for water-based coatings. Even if it is applied on a dry substrate or a super absorbent substrate, or under the conditions of high temperature and high wind speed, the water-based coating can form a uniform film without cracks and powder falling.

Features / 03

Enzyme resistance

Mikazone® Hydroxyethyl Cellulose (HEC) provides resistance against fungi and bacterial attacks, which allows its excellent viscosity, stability, and long-term storage. Mikazone® HEC grades with B are specially for biological resistance.

Features / 04

Good Compatibility

Mikazone® Hydroxyethyl Cellulose (HEC) is a non-ionic soluble cellulose ether, with wide compatibilities that can be matched with various additives for polymer emulsions and water-based coatings(such as dispersants, wetting agents, and film-forming additives), pigments, surfactants, emulsifiers, preservatives, and binders, etc. No chemical reaction occurs between them, which is beneficial to the storage stability of water-based coatings.