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Overview of thickeners principles of thickeners 

Thickeners are a class of substances that can increase the viscosity of a material system or form a gel, and their thickening principle mainly involves molecular structure and interactions, changes in the rheological properties of the solution, etc. There are differences in the principles of different types of thickeners, which are widely used in a variety of fields, such as food, paints, coatings, and so on.

The core thickening mechanism of thickeners 

Formation of macromolecular network structure: thickeners in solution will form macromolecular network structure, these macromolecular networks can lock a large amount of liquid, so that the viscosity of the solution increases.

Change the rheological properties of the solution: the thickener can change the rheological properties of the solution, so that the solution from a Newtonian fluid into a non-Newtonian fluid, that is, under the action of shear, the viscosity of the solution will be reduced with the increase in shear, but in the static or low-shear conditions, the viscosity of the solution will be relatively high.

Intermolecular interactions: thickeners will interact with each other to form aggregates or aggregates, which can increase the viscosity of the solution.

The effect of electrolytes: some thickeners need to add electrolytes in the process of use, such as inorganic salts, the presence of these electrolytes can affect the thickening effect of the thickener.

The specific thickening principle of different types of thickeners 

Natural gum thickeners: such as polypolysaccharide, etc. is through the polypolysaccharide sugar unit contains 3 hydroxyl groups and water molecules interact to form a three-dimensional hydration network structure, so as to achieve the effect of thickening.

Cellulose thickeners: mainly through the hydrophobic main chain and the nearby water molecules through hydrogen bonding, thus increasing the space of free movement between the particles to Increase viscosity. At the same time can also be entangled around the molecular chain to achieve the viscosity of the role, this is because in the static or low shear rate, cellulose is mainly in a disordered state; and in high shear rate, the molecules parallel to the activities of the bias was ordered in the shape of the fabric, so the viscosity of the system to land.

Polyacrylic acid thickeners: mainly thickeners dissolved in water, this kind of thickeners then through the carboxylate ions of the same sex electrostatic repulsion, molecular chain from the beginning of the helical development of the rod, increase the viscosity between the water phase, but also through the formation of a mesh layout of the emulsion particles and pigments to increase the viscosity.

Conjugated polyurethane thickener: the molecular layout of this type of thickener is the introduction of hydrophilic groups and hydrophobic groups, when the concentration of the aqueous solution across a particular concentration, it will form micelles, micelles and polymer particles into a mesh layout, thus making the system viscosity growth.

Inorganic thickeners: a kind of thixotropic gel minerals that absorb water and swell.