What types of emulsion thickeners are there?

There are many types of thickeners available on the market, mainly inorganic thickeners, cellulose, polyacrylates and associative polyurethane thickeners. Cellulose thickeners have a long application history and many types, including methyl cellulose, carboxymethyl cellulose, hydroxyethyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose, etc., which were once the mainstream of thickeners. Among them, the most commonly used is hydroxyethyl cellulose. Polyacrylate thickeners can be basically divided into two categories: one is water-soluble polyacrylate; the other is homopolymer or copolymer emulsion thickeners of acrylic acid and methacrylic acid. It is acidic and must be neutralized with alkali or ammonia water to pH 8-9 to achieve thickening effect, also known as acrylic acid alkali swelling thickener.

The practical thickeners can be divided into two categories: water-phase thickeners and oil-phase thickeners according to the mechanism of action.

Thickeners are of the following types:

1. Cellulose ethers (methyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose, sodium carboxymethyl cellulose, hydroxyethyl cellulose).

2. Inorganic thickeners (fumed silica, sodium bentonite, organic bentonite, diatomite, attapulgite, molecular sieve, silica gel).

3. Synthetic polymers (polyacrylamide, polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinylpyrrolidone, polyethylene oxide, carbo resin, polyacrylic acid, sodium polyacrylate, polyacrylate copolymer emulsion, butadiene rubber, styrene-butadiene rubber, polyurethane, modified polyurea, low molecular weight polyethylene wax).

4. Natural polymers and derivatives (starch, gelatin, sodium alginate, casein, guar gum, chitosan, gum arabic, xanthan gum, soybean protein gum, natural rubber, lanolin, agar).

5. Printing thickeners include (dispersion thickeners, paint thickeners, active thickeners).

6. Complex organometallic compounds (amino alcohol complex titanate).