HPMC (Hydroxypropyl Methyl Cellulose) plays an important role in the formulation of gypsum putty. It helps to form a smooth, flexible putty that is easy to work with. In this article, you will learn why you need to add hpmc to your putty. many of the benefits this additive provides you can find below.
What is HPMC?
Before we begin, let’s take a brief look at what HPMC is.
Hypromellose (INN), short for HPMC (Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose)[1]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypromellose, is a kind of non-ionic cellulose mixed ether. The finished product is a white powder, and its particle size passes an 80-mesh sieve. It is made from refined cotton or wood pulp through a series of etherification reactions.
Properties of HPMC
- HPMC has thermal gelation properties. It precipitates and gels in an aqueous solution and dissolves again after cooling, so it is often used as a thickening agent in gypsum putty.
- Its aqueous solution does not contain an ionic charge, so it is added to gypsum putty without any chemical reaction, and also acts as a water-retaining agent, assisting the reaction of the components in gypsum putty under better conditions.
Why Must add HPMC for Gypsum Putty
The addition of HPMC allows the putty to increase its strength, i.e. the cohesion is increased. Due to the flexibility of the polymer, the deformation capacity is much higher than that of the rigid structure formed by water-hard materials, for example, and this improves the deformation capacity of the putty, and the role of dispersing stress is substantially increased, thus improving the crack resistance of the putty.
During the construction process, the wall base has a certain degree of water absorption, especially in high-temperature environments and the evaporation of the outside world, the putty will lose water too quickly, which will lead to peeling and other phenomena, thus making the strength of the putty will become lower. For this reason, adding HPMC will solve this problem (Good water retention).
On the other hand, HPMC has a high viscosity, which enhances the floating force of the putty and avoids sagging during construction, and makes it easier to scrape.
Conclusion
HPMC in gypsum putty is mainly used as a thickening agent, water retention agent, and lubricant.
Thickener: HPMC thickens the gypsum putty, improves its suspension and sag resistance, and maintains the uniformity of the solution.
Water Retention Agent: HPMC keeps gypsum putty moist and allows auxiliary ash to react underwater.
Lubricant: HPMC keeps the gypsum putty smooth and smooth during the construction process.
How to make HPMC better to improve the construction of wall putty, you can Contact MikaZone’s product experts to get the formula tailored for you.
References
| ↑1 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypromellose |
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