Products
Hydroxyethyl cellulose is available as a pure substance in pharmacies and drugstores. It is included in various drugs as an excipient.
Structure and properties
Hydroxyethyl cellulose is a partially -(2-hydroxyethylated) cellulose. It is produced with ethylene oxide and cellulose. Hydroxyethyl cellulose exists as a white, yellowish white, or grayish white powder or as granules and is soluble in cold or hot water to form a colloidal solution. The label indicates the viscosity of a two percent solution (e.g., hydroxyethylcellulose 5000).
Effects
Hydroxyethyl cellulose has gelling, thickening, viscosity-increasing, and stabilizing properties.
Fields of application
As a pharmaceutical excipient:
