Basic chemistry of CMC

www.cpkelco.com

Product line

Finnfix Cekol Cellufix Cellcosan Nymcel Celflow

Industrial/technical CMC Food/Pharma CMC Easy dispersible industrial CMC Industrial CMC with high DS Cross linked pharmaceutical CMC Modified CMC

CMC: Carboxymethyl Cellulose

CH2OH OH CH2OH

Cellulose (wood/cotton)

OH

OH

OH

OH

CH2OH

OH

Sodium Hydroxide

Monochloro acetic acid

Cl- CH2COO-

CH2O CH2COO-

O CH2COO-

CH2O CH2COO-

CMC

O CH2COO-

OH

OH

O CH2COO-

CH2O CH2COO-

OH

+ sodium chloride and sodium glycolate

What is CMC

Cellulose ether produced by chemical modification of cellulose CMC= Sodium CMC, Cellulose gum, Sodium Carmellose Anionic poly electrolyte White to off-white fibrous powder Cold water soluble

Production of CMC

Chemical reaction Purification

Cellulose, NaOH, MCA and inert solvent (alcohol) Washing with alcohol/water

Solvent recovery and drying Grinding, sieving, densification etc.

Mechanical treatment

Packing

CMC: Types

Technical 55 - 75%
(remaining is salt)

Paper, Detergents, Oil drilling

Purified >98.0% >99.5% Paper, Textile, Paint Food, Pharma & Personal Care

CMC: Parameters
Chemical parameters
Molecular weight / viscosity Degree of substitution Molecular design Cellulose source

Physical parameters
Powder / granules Bulk density Surface modification

Rheology Water binding capacity Stability Interaction with other components Adhesion Dissolution speed Processing Dispersibility ..

Process parameters
Reaction time Reaction temperature

Influence of chemical parameters

10.000

Increasing molecular weight: higher viscosity more pseudoplasticity less stable

CEKOL 30.000
1.000 Viscosity

100

CEKOL 700
10

CEKOL 30
1 1 10 100 Shear rate 1.000 10.000

Increasing DS: more stability more clarity more water interaction

less thixotropy less interaction with a.o. glycerol

-In theory, maximum DS is 3.0 and minimum is 0.0 (=cellulose) -Commercially between 0.40-1.50, typically between 0.60-0.90

Rheology of Xanthan gum & CMC

0.5% KELZAN
1000000

0.5% Cekol 100000

100000

Viscosity (mPa.s)

The low shear viscosity of KELZAN is 10x higher than Cekol 100000
10000

1000

100

10 0.001 0.01 0.1 1 10 100 1000 10000

Shear Rate (s-1)

Distribution of Substitution

uniform block wise

(both DS = 0,5)

100,000

Block
Viscosity

Thixotropicity

10,000

Uniform

1,000 0 1 2 3 Time [days] 4 5 6

Effect of pH
10.000
CEKOL 30.000

Viscosity

1000
CEKOL 300

100

4,0

7,0

pH

9,0

12,0

pH < 3-4:

gelly particles (acidic CMC) viscosity drop and precipitation in time viscosity drop in time

pH > 12:

Heat treatment 1

1% CEKOL 30.000 2200

Viscosity, mPas

1800 Initial viscosity 1400 1000 600 200 0

10 min. 80 C 1 min. 120 C 60 min. 120 C 60 min. 120 C (high DS)

Viscosity after heating and cooling

Heat treatment 2

Viscosity is reversible when heating and cooling (to a certain extend)

Viscosity

Heating

Cooling

Particle size 1

Every CMC factory has its own fingerprint with regard to the particle size distribution. It is impossible to exactly copy a competitive product (works both ways) Even within the same production line, the particle size distribution depends on viscosity, DS and CMC content of a grade. Cekol 30.000 from Sweden is somewhat different from: -Cekol 30.000 from Holland -Cekol 30 from Sweden It is is very difficult to give general specifications on particle size

Particle size 2

Smaller particles dissolve faster, but good mixing is required!! Granular particle disperse very easy but it takes longer to dissolve Fine powder (P-grade) or granules (G-grade) are produced by either sieving or grinding. Also coated CMC grades available for improved dissolution behaviour

Particle size CP Kelco CMC

Finland produces industrial grades and its standard particle is bigger than Sweden and Holland as this is generally desired by the industry: P-grade from -Sweden -Holland -Finland >0.075 mm max 20% max 20% max 30%

These typical values are workable for most customers. When the volume allows it, it is possible to make customer specifications on different sieves.

Basic properties of CMC

Viscosity: Newtonian to pseudoplastic Thickening properties Stabilising Water retention Good film forming (Transparent films, tablet coating) Anti re-deposition (Detergents) Tablet disintegrant (Control tablet dissolution) Binding (Welding rods, Car batteries)