What is the viscosity of HPMC?

HPMC, or Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose, is a synthetic polymer widely used in pharmaceutical, food, cosmetic and construction fields. It has many excellent properties such as solubility, stability, transparency and film-forming properties as a thickener, adhesive, film former, suspending agent and protective colloid.

Regarding the viscosity of HPMC, it is a relatively complex concept because viscosity is affected by many factors, such as concentration, molecular weight, solvent, temperature and shear rate.

Relationship between molecular weight and viscosity: The molecular weight of HPMC is one of the important factors that determine its viscosity. Generally speaking, the higher the molecular weight, the higher the viscosity of HPMC. Therefore, manufacturers usually provide HPMC products with different molecular weights to meet the needs of different industries. Molecular weight is usually expressed as K value (such as K100, K200, etc.). The larger the K value, the higher the viscosity.

Effect of concentration: The viscosity of HPMC solution in water increases with the increase of concentration. For example, a 1% concentration of HPMC solution may have a viscosity several times higher than that of a 0.5% concentration solution. This allows the viscosity of the solution to be controlled by adjusting the concentration of HPMC in the application.

Effect of solvent: HPMC can be dissolved in water or organic solvents, but different solvents affect its viscosity. Generally, HPMC has good solubility in water and the solution viscosity is high, while the viscosity in organic solvents varies depending on the polarity of the solvent and the degree of substitution of HPMC.

Effect of temperature: The viscosity of HPMC solution changes with temperature. Generally, the viscosity of HPMC solution decreases when the temperature increases. This is because the increase in temperature leads to faster molecular motion and increased fluidity of the solution, which reduces the viscosity.

Effect of shear rate: HPMC solution is a non-Newtonian fluid, and its viscosity changes with shear rate. This means that during stirring or pumping, the viscosity changes with the intensity of the operation. Generally, HPMC solution exhibits shear thinning characteristics, that is, the viscosity decreases at high shear rates.

HPMC grades and specifications: Different grades of HPMC products also have significant differences in viscosity. For example, a low viscosity grade HPMC product may have a viscosity of 20-100 mPas at a 2% concentration, while a high viscosity grade HPMC product may have a viscosity of up to 10,000-200,000 mPas at the same concentration. Therefore, when selecting HPMC, it is important to select the appropriate viscosity grade based on the specific application requirements.

Standard test methods: The viscosity of HPMC is usually measured by a viscometer or rheometer. Common test methods include rotational viscometer and capillary viscometer. Test conditions such as temperature, concentration, solvent type, etc. can have a significant impact on the results, so these parameters need to be strictly controlled during testing.

The viscosity of HPMC is a complex parameter affected by multiple factors, and its adjustability makes it widely used in various applications. Whether in the food, pharmaceutical, building materials or cosmetics industries, understanding and controlling the viscosity of HPMC is one of the key factors to ensure product quality and performance.