Top 7 Things You Need to Know to Buy HPMC for Tile ...

May. 13, 2024

Top 7 Things You Need to Know to Buy HPMC for Tile ...

Melacoll 2021-05-07 08:30

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These things you must know when you want to buy HPMC for tile adhesive. Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) is made by special etherification of highly pure cotton cellulose under alkaline conditions. In recent years, HPMC, as a functional admixture, mainly plays a role in water retention and thickening in the construction industry and is widely used in tile adhesive. Tile adhesive is a new modern decoration material used for pasting decorative materials such as ceramic tiles, surface tiles, and floor tiles.

HPMC enhances the adhesive properties and flexibility of the tile adhesive. It consists of cement, sand, calcium formate, and various additives in a specific ratio. The key additives include cellulose ethers for water retention and thickening, with HPMC and HEMC being the most commonly used. This article will guide you through the essential aspects of buying HPMC for tile adhesive. HPMC remains the fundamental additive in tile adhesives.

1.The Ultimate Guide on “HPMC Grade”

1.1 According to the application field, HPMC is divided into construction-grade HPMC, daily chemical-grade HPMC, food-grade HPMC, and pharmaceutical-grade HPMC. The tile adhesive uses HPMC and belongs to the building material grade. In this video blow, we will recommend suitable grades of HPMC for each building application, such as wall putty and skim coat, tile adhesive, self leveling and so on.

1.2 According to viscosity, viscosity is an essential indicator of HPMC. HPMC increases the viscosity of tile adhesive from the viscosity of HPMC solution. The viscosity of HPMC generally refers to a particular concentration (2%) of HPMC solution, at a specified temperature (20°C) and shear rate (or rotation rate, such as 20rpm), the viscosity value measured with a specified measuring instrument. Viscosity is an important parameter to evaluate the performance of HPMC. The higher the viscosity of the HPMC solution, the better the viscosity of tile adhesive and the better the adhesion to the substrate. The stronger the anti-sagging and anti-dispersion ability. But if its viscosity is too strong, it will affect the fluidity and operability of the tile adhesive.

1.3 According to different viscosity, HPMC can be divided into three grades: low, medium, and high viscosity:

It should be noted that the results measured by different viscometers are quite different. Therefore, when testing samples, you must use a viscometer of the same brand and model as the supplier; otherwise, the measured viscosity is meaningless.

1.4 According to HPMC solubility in water, HPMC can be divided into delayed dissolution type HPMC, namely surface treatment type HPMC, and non-delay dissolution type HPMC, namely non-surface treatment type HPMC. In the construction industry, HPMC is often put into neutral water, and the HPMC product is dissolved separately to determine whether the HPMC has undergone surface treatment. After being placed in neutral water alone, the product that quickly clumps and does not disperse is a product without surface treatment; after being placed independently in neutral water, the product can disperse without clumping surface-treated.

Non-surface treatment HPMC:

When the HPMC product with the untreated surface is dissolved alone, its particles dissolve quickly and form a film quickly, causing water to no longer enter other particles, causing agglomeration and agglomeration.
The characteristic of untreated HPMC is that a single particle dissolves quickly in neutral, alkaline, and acidic states. Still, it cannot be dispersed between particles in the liquid, resulting in agglomeration and clumping.
In actual operation, after this series of products are physically dispersed with solid particles such as rubber powder, cement, sand, etc., the dissolution speed is breakneck, and there is no aggregation or agglomeration. Therefore, non-surface-treated HPMC can be used for cement-based, gypsum-grade tile adhesive, but not for paste emulsion-based tile adhesive.

Surface treatment HPMC:

Surface-treated HPMC product particles, in neutral water, individual particles can be dispersed without agglomeration but will not immediately become viscous. After a certain time of soaking, the water can dissolve the HPMC particles after the chemical structure of the surface treatment is destroyed. At this time, the product particles have been fully dispersed and absorbed enough water, so the product will not agglomerate or agglomerate after dissolution.
The characteristics of surface-treated HPMC products are: in the aqueous solution, the particles can disperse each other. In the alkaline state, it can dissolve quickly, and in the neutral and acidic state, it dissolves slowly.
In actual production operations, this series of products is often dissolved after being dispersed with other solid particulate materials under alkaline conditions. Its dissolution rate is no different from that of untreated products. In the construction process, cement tile adhesive and gypsum-based tile adhesive are alkaline systems, and the addition of HPMC is minimal. It can be evenly dispersed among these particles. When water is added, HPMC will quickly dissolve. Paste emulsion adhesive type tile adhesive is usually a neutral or slightly acidic product. Although it takes a specific time to dissolve using this series of products, it is impossible to use unsurfaced-treated HPMC to speed up the dissolution.

2. HPMC Solutions for Different Application Scenarios of Tile Adhesive

Indoor tile adhesive: application scenarios such as kitchens and bathrooms

For home decoration, we generally use ceramic tiles for unique places such as balcony walls ( wall tile adhesive ), bathrooms (shower wall adhesive), kitchens, stairs, etc., which look very beautiful and have the effect of waterproofing. Especially kitchens and bathrooms are usually prone to mold and bacteria, so it is recommended to use HPMC with high viscosity and water resistance. High-viscosity and waterproof HPMC will make the sealant and tile adhesive have good sealing properties, prevent various problems caused by moisture, extend the life of decoration, and reduce post-maintenance.

Outdoor tile adhesive: swimming pools, exterior walls, outdoor balconies, etc.

When designing outdoor spaces, such as swimming pools, outdoor balconies, etc., exterior tile adhesives, expecially pool tile adhesive, need to have water resistance, heat resistance, cold resistance, and abrasion resistance. Because outdoor spaces are generally exposed to long-term exposure to the sun, rain, pool water, and mud, strong adhesives must be used to solve these problems. Therefore, it is necessary to choose high-viscosity HPMC to make the ceramic tile adhesive meet these needs.

3.HPMC Production Process

What is HPMC made from? Cellulose ether was first reported in 1905, made by Suida reacting alkali-swollen cellulose with dimethyl sulfate, but the cellulose ether could not be separated at that time. In 1912, a patent for the preparation of cellulose ethers appeared for the first time. In 1927, HPMC was successfully synthesized and separated. In 1938, the American DOW Chemical Company realized the industrial production of MC. Large-scale industrial production of HPMC was carried out in the United States in 1948, and the production process reached maturity in 1960~1970.

The production process of HPMC can be divided into two categories: gas-phase method and liquid-phase method.

Developed countries such as Europe, America, and Japan are more adopting the gas-phase process. Wood pulp is used as raw material (cotton pulp is used when producing high-viscosity products), alkalization and etherification are carried out in the same reaction equipment, the primary reaction is a horizontal reactor, and there is a central horizontal stirring shaft and a side-rotating flying knife specially designed to produce cellulose ether, which can obtain an excellent mixing effect. The reaction process adopts advanced automatic control means, which can accurately control the temperature and pressure.

After the reaction is completed, the excess methyl chloride and the by-produced dimethyl ether enter the recovery system in gaseous form and are recycled and reused separately. The refining and purification treatment is carried out in a continuous rotary filter press. The crushing is carried out in a high-efficiency finished product crusher while drying to remove excess water. Auxiliary processes such as mixing and packaging are also completed under the automatic control system.

The gas-phase process has the following advantages

Compact equipment, high single-batch output
The reaction temperature is lower than that of the liquid phase method, and the reaction time is shorter than that of the liquid phase method
The reaction control is more accurate than the liquid phase method
No complicated solvent recovery system is required
Low labor cost and labor intensity

However, this process also has the following disadvantages:

Large investment in equipment and automatic control, high technical content, and considerable investment and construction costs
Due to the high degree of automation, the requirements for the quality of the operators are high
Once a failure occurs, significant accidents are prone to occur
A problem will cause the entire line to stop production

At present, the production of HPMC from Chinese manufacturers is mainly based on the liquid-phase process. Generally, refined cotton is used as the raw material, and the combined pulverizer is used to pulverize, or the refined cotton is directly alkalized, and the etherification uses a binary mixed organic solvent. The reaction is carried out in a vertical reactor. The finished product is processed in batches, and the granulation is carried out at elevated temperature (some manufacturers do not carry out granulation, and drying and crushing are carried out in conventional ways. Most special treatments are only to delay the hydration time (fast dissolution) of the product without anti-mildew, and compounding treatments and the packaging is manual.

The liquid-phase process has the following advantages:

In the reaction process, the internal pressure of the equipment is small, the requirements for the equipment pressure capacity are low, and the risk is small.
After the cellulose is immersed in the lye, the alkali cellulose that is thoroughly swollen and evenly alkalized is obtained. The lye has better penetration and swelling of cellulose.
The etherification reactor is small, and the alkali cellulose can be swelled uniformly. Hence, the product quality is easy to control, and products with a relatively uniform degree of substitution and viscosity can be obtained, and the varieties are easy to change.
However, this process also has the following disadvantages:
The reactor is usually not too large (below 15m2), and the production capacity is also small due to statistical limitations. If you want to increase the output, you will inevitably add more reactors;
Refining and purifying crude products requires a lot of equipment, complicated operations, and labor-intensive
Because there is no anti-mildew and compounding treatment, the viscosity stability of the product and the production cost are affected
The packaging adopts the manual method, which has high labor intensity and high labor cost; the automation degree of reaction control is lower than that of the gas phase method, so the control accuracy is relatively low.
Compared with the gas phase process, a complex solvent recovery system is required.

MIKEM has introduced an internationally leading flexible production line of large-scale HPMC reaction and purification equipment in its cooperative factory in China and imported equipment imported from Germany. The reactor is a 25m2 horizontal equipment. The alkalization and etherification reactions are carried out in the same equipment, and the DCS central control system is adopted. Through digestion and absorption of advanced international technology, the current HPMC product models and specifications are complete, and the production capacity has also been greatly improved.

The distributed control system (DCS) is used to realize automatic control. Materials including liquid and solid materials can be accurately metered and added by the DCS system. The temperature and pressure control in the reaction process also all realize DCS automatic control and remote monitoring. The feasibility, reliability, stability, and safety of product production have been significantly improved than traditional production methods. It not only saves manpower, reduces labor intensity but also improves the on-site operating environment.

4.Factors Affecting HPMC Price

When you buy HPMC products, price will be the most practical concern. According to the survey, the price of HPMC for ceramic tile adhesive produced by Chinese manufacturers generally fluctuates around USD3000, and that in European and American countries typically exceeds USD4500.

The price of HPMC has a lot to do with its viscosity. From the current point of view, the viscosity is divided into two extremes: high viscosity, that is, the viscosity is above 20,000, and the extra-low viscosity, that is, the viscosity is below 100, and the price is relatively high. The price of medium viscosity is lower. The higher the purity, the higher the price. The price of 98%-99% high purity products is higher, and the price of products with purity below 96% is slightly lower. In general, the price difference of HPMC is closely related to the quality of the product. The price of high-quality products is correspondingly higher, while the price of low-end products is relatively lower.

The price changes are also closely related to the price changes of raw materials on the market. In early 2021, the increase in crude oil prices led to a collective price increase in the chemical industry. The price of HPMC’s raw materials has also been affected. In terms of refined cotton, international cotton prices have gradually increased. In the short term, cotton prices are expected to rise further, but they do not have the conditions for a substantial increase. The weather conditions in the later period need to be closely monitored.

On the other hand, the prices of the produced reaction media ethanol, isopropanol, toluene, and propylene oxide have also increased relatively, leading to continued increases in the price of HPMC in the first quarter of 2021.

Price changes are inseparable from market demand. In 2020, due to the epidemic raging worldwide, many factories shut down, resulting in a decline in global demand, while production capacity is relatively stable, and there is an oversupplied market, so HPMC prices will also drop. At the beginning of 2021, due to the reduction of annual production capacity during the epidemic, when the epidemic was brought under control and demand resumed, HPMC prices rose again.

Price changes are affected by force majeure. Due to the global spread of the epidemic in 2020, factories all over the world have been closed collectively. Although the epidemic in some countries has been brought under control by mid-2020, the decline in global productivity has not yet fully recovered. In addition, in early 2021, affected by the polar cold current, parts of southern Texas in the United States began to experience extreme weather such as snowfall, icing, and freezing rain, resulting in road icing and road closures.

Additional reading:
Silicone Fluids Overview
10 Questions You Should to Know about pmk powder to oil

For more Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose Factory Supplier in Chinainformation, please contact us. We will provide professional answers.

There are many petroleum and chemical facilities both inside and outside the state. The power outage has “paralyzed” the production of many oil refineries and chemical plants in the state. The recovery of production capacity was once again interrupted, and the market appeared in short supply, which caused the price of HPMC to rise sharply again.