METHOCEL™ F50 is a water-soluble polymer based on cellulose with low hydroxypropyl substitution and high methoxy content. It is offered as a white powder soluble in water. When added at 2% to water, this polymer provides thickening to yield a solution with 50 cPs of viscosity. Therefore, METHOCEL™ F50 is typically used as a thickener for low-viscosity solutions. The polymer also gives rise to shear-thinning rheology, allowing it to be used as a rheology modifier in applications that require both good flowability under shear and increased adhesion in the absence of shear. METHOCEL™ F50 has outstanding pH stability in both acidic and alkaline environments, allowing for flexibility in formulations.

METHOCEL™ F50 also has utility beyond thickening. In PVC applications, the cellulose polymer is used as a suspending agent that forms a protective colloid around vinyl chloride droplets as polymerization occurs. METHOCEL™ F50 will reversibly gel at temperatures above 68°C. Therefore, it will boost green strength when used in adhesive and ceramic applications. In agricultural suspension concentrates, METHOCEL™ F50 will help prevent crystal growth in active ingredients with low solubility.