Carboxy Methyl Cellulose (CMC), also known as Sodium Carboxymethyl Cellulose, easily dissolves in both cold and hot water. It exhibits excellent properties such as thickening, water retention, film-forming, rheology, and lubricity. These characteristics make CMC suitable for a wide range of applications, including food, personal care products, industrial paints, ceramics, oil drilling, and building materials.
CMC, also referred to as Cellulose gum, is a high-polymer cellulose ether obtained through the chemical modification of natural cellulose. This white to off-white, odorless, and tasteless powder plays a pivotal role in various industries due to its ability to thicken, bind, and stabilize products.
The production of Sodium CMC involves the chemical modification of cellulose with chloroacetic acid, introducing carboxymethyl groups (-CH2-COOH) to the cellulose backbone. This modification enhances the solubility of the resulting polymer in water, allowing it to form stable and viscous solutions.