Today's Topic: Carbopol^®
Presented by: David Wenzel, Technical Sales Manager

Carbopol^® is a registered trademark of Noveon, Inc. (formerly B.F. Goodrich Co.) for a family of polymers that are used as thickeners, suspending agents and stabilizers. They are utilized in a wide variety of personal care products, pharmaceuticals and household cleaners. Most Carbopol polymers are high molecular weight acrylic acid chains, usually crosslinked, and are available as powders or liquids.

Carbopol is used as a thickener in lotions, creams and gels. It is also used to stabilize, suspend, and control the release of pharmaceutical products. At low concentrations, suspensions flow easily with a slippery feel. At higher concentrations, high viscosity varieties form gels that are pseudoplastic. At rest, the batch has a very high viscosity and resistance to flow. When shear force is applied by a mixer or pump, the apparent high viscosity is reduced.

The typical powder is very light and fluffy, forming clouds of airborne dust if not handled carefully. It tends to float on water, requiring a good vortex to wet out. Once wet, it swells quickly impating high viscosity. Different varieties produce varying viscosities, but most are used below 1% concentration. The crosslinked polymers are not actually water soluble, but swell into hydrated spheres that give the product its rheological properties.

As with many gums, Carbopol will form clumps, commonly referred to as "fisheyes", if not mixed correctly.

*See our mixers in action! Download a short Carbopol video
Carbopol 940 at 4.3% in water
Mix time: 4 minutes
Equipment: Rotosolver Disperser

Admix can help provide solutions to these mixing challenges. Our high shear Rotosolver^® top entry mixer is widely used to disperse these materials quickly, eliminating clumps without damaging the polymer with overshear.

Bring us your mixing challenges, and we will recommend creative solutions... Please call our applications engineers at 800-466-2369 or email us at mixing@admix.com.

<top of page>

© 2008 ADMIX, All Rights Reserved