It  is a white or  light yellow, odorless,  non -toxic fibrous o r  powdered solid  prepa red  by  etherification reaction of alkaline cellulose and ethylene oxide (or chloroethanol), belonging  to the non ionic soluble cellulose ether class. Due to its excellent thickening, suspension,  dispersion, emulsification, adhesion, film formation, moisture protection, and provision of  protective colloids, HEC has been widely used in fields such as petroleum exploration, coatings,  construction, pharmaceuticals and food, textiles, papermaking, and polymer polymerization  reactions.

 


In terms of application, there are many application fields.
  1. It is generally used as a thickening agent, protective agent, adhesive, stabilizer, and additive for preparing emulsions, jellies, ointments, lotions, eye - cleaning agents, suppositories, and tablets, as well as hydrophilic gel, skeleton materials, preparation of skeleton sustained - release preparations, and as a stabilizer in food.
  2. Used as sizing agents in the textile industry, as well as adhesives, thickeners, emulsions, and stabilizers in the electronic and light - industry sectors.
  3. Used as a thickener and filtrate reducer for water - based drilling and completion fluids, it has a significant thickening effect in saline drilling fluids. It can also be used as a filtrate reducer for oil - well cement. It can be cross - linked with multivalent metal ions to form a gel.
  4. This product is used for the exploitation of oil - water - based gel fracturing fluid, polystyrene, PVC, and other polymeric dispersants by fracturing method. It can also be used as a thickener for latex in the paint industry, a humidity - sensitive resistor in the electronic industry, a cement retarder in the construction industry, and a water - retention agent. In the ceramic industry, it is used for glazing and as toothpaste adhesives. It is also widely used in printing and dyeing, textiles, papermaking, medicine, hygiene, food, cigarettes, pesticides, and fire - extinguishing agents.
  5. It is used as a surfactant, colloid protective agent, emulsification stabilizer for lotions such as vinyl chloride and vinyl acetate, as well as a viscosifier, dispersant, and dispersion stabilizer for emulsions. Widely used in coatings, fibers, dyeing, papermaking, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, pesticides, and other fields. It also has many uses in the oil - extraction and machinery industries.
  6. Hydroxyethylcellulose has surface - activity, thickening, suspension, adhesion, emulsification, film - formation, dispersion, water - retention, and protective effects in solid and liquid pharmaceutical formulations.
  7. It is used as a dispersant for the production of petroleum water - based gel fracturing fluid, PVC, polystyrene, and other polymerization. It can also be used as a thickener for latex in the paint industry, a cement retarder and water - retention agent in the construction industry, a glazing agent and toothpaste adhesive in the ceramic industry. It is also widely used in industrial fields such as printing and dyeing, textiles, papermaking, medicine, hygiene, food, cigarettes, and pesticides.