Evaluation of thermal gelation behavior of different cellulose ether polymers by rheology

Hydroxypropylmethylcellulose (HPMC) and Methylcellulose (MC) are cellulose ethers which can be dispersed in water and used as thickeners, emulsifiers, binders, film formers, and water-retention agents due to their hydrophilic and hydrophobic characteristics. In this study, various types of HPMCs, in comparison with two types of MCs were examined. The formed gels of the different cellulose ethers showed specific and various structural formation and network properties. The degree of methylation (Meth.) and hydroxypropylation (HyPr.) affected drastically the heat-induced gelation of the examined cellulose ethers.