A coating must remain stable in the container, flow efficiently during application, level across the substrate, and develop enough structure afterwards to resist sagging, dripping, or creeping. In industrial coatings, viscosity is only part of the performance equation. Achieving this balance requires more than simply thickening a formulation. It requires engineering rheology around how the coating will be processed and applied.
TEXTURECEL™ cellulose ethers from IFF provide water-soluble sodium carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) polymers that help formulators control viscosity, flow, and rheological behaviour in water-based coatings.
Coatings experience very different levels of shear throughout processing and application.
During mixing, pumping, brushing, or rolling, shear increases. Once the coating is applied, shear falls, and the formulation needs enough structure to remain where it was placed. TEXTURECEL™ solutions exhibit pseudoplastic, or shear-thinning, behaviour, with higher–molecular weight grades demonstrating greater shear-thinning characteristics. Pseudoplasticity can also increase as polymer concentration increases. This behaviour helps formulators balance two important requirements: workability during application and resistance to sag, drip, and creep afterwards.
The TEXTURECEL™ portfolio spans a broad range of molecular weights and viscosity profiles, giving formulators flexibility to tailor rheology to specific coating requirements.Lower–molecular weight grades can provide viscosity modification with less structure, while higher–molecular weight grades provide greater viscosity development and stronger shear-thinning behaviour.
For example, TEXTURECEL™ 40000 GA is a high–molecular weight grade used to thicken water-based coatings. It is documented to provide increased cling to vertical surfaces and thixotropic rheology that supports workability and levelling.
TEXTURECEL™ 1000 GA is also used as a thixotropic rheology modifier in water-based coatings, inks, and adhesives, offering another option for balancing viscosity with application and levelling requirements.
The objective is therefore not simply to achieve the highest possible viscosity. It is to create the right flow behaviour at the right stage of application.
TEXTURECEL™ can provide additional functionality beyond rheology modification. CMC can function as a binder and film former, and TEXTURECEL™ is documented to form durable films resistant to oils and organic solvents. Selected grades also offer broad pH stability and compatibility with other hydrocolloids, providing additional formulation flexibility in aqueous systems.This combination of viscosity control, shear-thinning behaviour, film-forming properties, and water solubility makes TEXTURECEL™ a versatile tool for engineering water-based industrial coating formulations.
No single rheology profile suits every coating.
Grade selection should consider factors such as:
With TEXTURECEL™ grades spanning different molecular weights, viscosity ranges, and specifications, formulators can select a starting point based on the performance requirements of the finished coating.
High-performance coating rheology is ultimately about controlling when a formulation should flow and when it should develop structure. TEXTURECEL™ cellulose ethers give formulators a versatile CMC platform to balance viscosity, workability, levelling, and sag resistance in water-based coating systems.
By engineering rheology rather than simply targeting a viscosity number, formulators can develop coatings designed for both efficient application and reliable finished performance.
Looking to optimise the rheology of your water-based coating formulation?
ChemPoint can help identify a TEXTURECEL™ grade suited to your viscosity, application, and formulation requirements.
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