What Is Sodium Carboxymethyl Cellulose Used For?

Sodium carboxymethyl cellulose is abbreviated as CMC-Na, white to light yellow powder, granular or fibrous substance, strong hygroscopicity, easily soluble in water, when neutral or alkaline, the solution is a high-viscosity liquid. Stable to medicine, light and heat. But the heat is limited to 80°C. If it is heated for a long time above 80°C, the viscosity will decrease and it will not dissolve in water. Its relative density is 1.60, and the relative density of flakes is 1.59. The refractive index is 1.515. It will be brown when heated to 190～205℃, and carbonized at 235～248℃. Its solubility in water depends on the degree of substitution. It is insoluble in acid and alcohol, and does not precipitate when exposed to salt. It is not easy to ferment, has great emulsifying power to oil and wax, and can be stored for a long time.

This article contains the following contents:

• For oil and natural gas drilling, well digging and other projects

• Application in industry

• Application in food

For oil and natural gas drilling, well digging and other projects

• CMC-containing mud can make the well wall form a thin, firm, low-permeability filter cake, and reduce water loss.

• After adding CMC to the mud, the drilling rig can get a low initial cutting force, so that the mud is easy to release the gas wrapped in it, and at the same time, the debris is quickly discarded in the mud pit.

• Drilling mud, like other suspended dispersions, has a certain life span. After adding CMC, it can be stabilized and prolonged.

• Mud containing CMC is rarely affected by molds, therefore, there is no need to maintain a high pH value, and no preservatives are used.

• Containing CMC as drilling mud wash fluid treatment agent, can resist the pollution of various soluble salts.

The mud containing CMC has good stability and can reduce water loss even at a temperature above 150°C.

CMC with high viscosity and high degree of substitution is suitable for mud with low density, and CMC with low viscosity and high degree of substitution is suitable for mud with high density. The selection of CMC should be determined according to different conditions such as mud type, area, and well depth.

Application in industry

• Used in the textile, printing and dyeing industry. The textile industry uses CMC as a sizing agent for the sizing of strong light yarns such as cotton, silk and wool, chemical fibers, and blends.

• Used in the paper industry, CMC can be used as a paper smoothing agent and sizing agent in the paper industry. Adding 0.1% to 0.3% of CMC to the pulp can increase the tensile strength of the paper by 40% to 50%, increase the compressive rupture degree by 50%, and increase the flexibility by 4 to 5 times.

• CMC can be used as a dirt adsorbent when added to synthetic detergent; daily chemicals such as toothpaste industry CMC's glycerin water solution is used as toothpaste gum base; pharmaceutical industry is used as a thickener and emulsifier; CMC water solution is thickened and used as a flotation mineral .

• It can be used as adhesive, plasticizer, suspending agent of glaze, fixing agent, etc. in the ceramic industry.

Application in food

Edible CMC has the characteristics of thickening, emulsification, shaping, humectant and stability. Adding CMC to food can reduce the production cost of food, improve the quality of food, improve the taste of food, and extend the shelf life of food. It is an ideal food additive for the food industry and can be widely used in various solid and liquid beverages, cans, and candies, Cakes, meat products, biscuits, instant noodles, rolled noodles, quick-cooked foods, quick-frozen flavored snack foods and soy milk, yogurt, peanut milk, fruit tea, fruit juice and other food production. In different foods, CMC has different uses and dosages.

In short, sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) is the product with the largest output, the widest application, and the most convenient use among cellulose ethers, commonly known as "industrial monosodium glutamate".