WeKcelo is a nonionic cellulose derivative that dissolves readily in water, either cold or hot. It is used to produce solutions having a wide range of viscosity. Such solutions are pseudoplastic.
The raw materials for the production of WeKcelo are high purity chemical cotton and ethylene oxide. The three hydroxyl groups of each of the anhydroglucose units of the cellulose are activated with sodium hydroxide. Subsequently these groups are etherified with ethylene oxide to form the hydroxyethyl ether of cellulose. Ethylene oxide, reacting at previously substituted hydroxyl groups, can polymerize to form a side chain.
An idealized structural formula of WeKcelo HEC is shown .
| Ash (calculated as Na2SO4),%,max |
5 .0 |
| pH (2% solution ) |
6 . 0 - 8 . 5 |
| Color |
white to light tan |
| Moisture (as packed), %, max |
5 |
| Particle size |
|
| Passing U.S.No. 40 mesh,%, min |
98 |
|
HEC Hydroxyethyl Cellulose
