Now more than ever there is a need to frequently clean surfaces. Many of the cleaning solutions used to clean high traffic, often contaminated surfaces are highly acidic or alkaline. In addition, in order for the cleaners to work an extended dwell time on the surface is often required. This can pose a unique challenge for formulators who need to produce a solution with stable viscosity at extreme pH.
The Problem with Gum Thickeners
Vegetable gums that are often used as rheology modifiers due to their inexpensive nature are no good in high and low pH cleaners. The reason being that they are ionic in nature. This causes them to be less stable at high and low pH which leads to cleaner viscosities that are not as stable and a shortened shelf life shelf life. In order to get around this pH problem a non-ionic thickener should be used.
METHOCEL™ Solves the Viscosity Problem
METHOCEL™ methyl cellulose and hydroxypropyl methylcellulose polymers are non-ionic in nature and are much more stable than vegetable gums at highly acid and caustic pH. They produce consistent, stable viscosity from pH 3-11. METHOCEL™ cellulose ethers are psuedoplastic and impart a shear thinning nature to solutions they are incorporated in. This allows for cleaning products to be produced that are easy to apply but also remain in place on vertical and overhead surfaces. In addition, grades with hydroxypropyl substitution are compatible with organic solvents as well as water and can be used in binary sytems.
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