Carboxymethyl cellulose sodium

What is sodium carboxymethyl cellulose? 

Carboxymethyl cellulose is a product of cellulose with substituted carboxymethyl groups. Depending on its molecular weight or degree of substitution, it can be a completely soluble or insoluble polymer. The latter can be used as a weakly acidic cation exchanger to separate neutral or basic proteins.
 

Carboxymethyl cellulose powder can form high-viscosity colloids and solutions, and possesses adhesive, thickening, flowable, emulsifying, dispersing, shaping, water-retaining, colloid-protecting, film-forming, acid-resistant, salt-resistant, and suspending properties. It is also physiologically harmless, and therefore widely used in the production of food, pharmaceuticals, daily chemicals, petroleum, papermaking, textiles, and construction.
 

Chemical Properties

Sodium carboxymethyl cellulose thickener is a cellulose derivative with carboxymethyl substituents. It is prepared by treating cellulose to form alkali cellulose, followed by reaction with monochloroacetic acid. The glucose units constituting cellulose have three replaceable hydroxyl groups, thus products with varying degrees of substitution can be obtained. It is insoluble in water and dilute acids, but swells and is used in ion exchange chromatography. Those with more than 40% carboxymethyl hydroxyl groups are soluble in water, forming a stable, high-viscosity colloidal solution.
 

Main Uses

Sodium carboxymethyl cellulose thickener is the most produced, widely used, and convenient cellulose ether, commonly known as "industrial monosodium glutamate."
 

1. Used in oil and gas drilling and well-digging projects:

① Drilling mud containing sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) forms a thin, strong, and low-permeability filter cake on the well wall, reducing water loss.
② Adding CMC to the drilling mud results in a lower initial shear force on the drilling rig, facilitates the release of trapped gas, and quickly disposes of debris in the mud pit.
③ Like other suspensions and dispersions, drilling mud has a limited shelf life; adding sodium carboxymethyl cellulose powder stabilizes it and extends its shelf life.
④ Drilling mud containing CMC is less susceptible to mold, therefore, there is no need to maintain a high pH value or use preservatives.
⑤ Drilling mud containing CMC natrium, used as a drilling mud washing fluid treatment agent, resists contamination by various soluble salts.
⑥ Drilling mud containing CMC additives exhibits good stability and reduces water loss even at temperatures above 150°C.
 

High-viscosity, high-substitution-degree Sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) food thickeners are suitable for low-density muds, while low-viscosity, high-substitution-degree CMCs are suitable for high-density muds. The selection of CMCs should be determined based on different conditions such as mud type, region, and well depth.
 

2. Uses in the textile and dyeing industries: CMC is used as a sizing agent in the textile industry for sizing lightweight yarns of strong materials such as cotton, silk, wool, chemical fibers, and blends.
3. Uses in the paper industry: CMC can be used as a paper surface smoother and sizing agent. Adding 0.1%–0.3% CMC to pulp can increase the tensile strength of paper by 40%–50%, increase the bursting strength by 50%, and increase the softness by 4–5 times.
4. CMC powder can be added to synthetic detergents as a dirt absorbent; in daily chemical products such as toothpaste, CMC glycerin aqueous solution is used as a gum base; in the pharmaceutical industry, it is used as a thickener and emulsifier; sodium carboxymethyl cellulose powder aqueous solution is used for flotation after thickening, etc.
5. Uses in the ceramics industry: It can be used as an adhesive for blanks, a plasticizer, a suspending agent for glazes, and a fixing agent.
6. Used in construction to improve water retention and strength.
7. Used in the food industry, where high-displacement CMC is used as a thickener in ice cream, canned goods, and instant noodles, and as a foam stabilizer in beer. It is also used as a thickener, binder, or shaping agent in the processing of jams, syrups, fruit syrups, desserts, and ice cream drinks.
8. In the pharmaceutical industry, sodium carboxymethyl cellulose of appropriate viscosity is selected as a binder and disintegrant for tablets, and a suspending agent for suspensions.
 

Precautions

*Sodium carboxymethyl cellulose thickener should be stored in a well-ventilated, dry place, protected from moisture, fire, and high temperatures.
*Protect from rain during transportation. Do not use iron hooks during loading and unloading. Long-term storage and compression may cause clumping upon unpacking, which may cause inconvenience but will not affect quality.
*This product must not come into contact with water during storage, otherwise it will gel or partially dissolve, rendering it unusable.