MelaColl Hydroxyethyl cellulose (HEC) is a nonionic, water-soluble polymer that consists of two components: cellulose and hydroxyethyl side chain. The manufacturing process is as follows: the purified cellulose is reacted with sodium hydroxide to form swollen alkaline cellulose, and then it is reacted with ethylene oxide to create a series of Hydroxyethylcellulose ethers.

Our HEC products have many properties, such as water retention, thickening, suspension, anti-microbial erosion, high salt tolerance, and ion/PH insensitive. They have been applied in various industries, including paints and coatings, oil drilling, adhesives and sealants, ceramic, metal castings, personal care, pharmaceuticals, and the paper industry.

Our MelaCollTM HEC products are available in multiple grades to offer functional properties and enhance product performance in many industries.

Application industries:

• Water-based latex coatings: It can significantly improve thickening and leveling performance.

• Oil drilling: It can improve mud carrying capacity during drilling, and prevent a large amount of water from entering the oil layer from the mud, and stabilize the oil layer production capacity.

• Construction/building materials: HEC is an effective thickener and binder for cement slurry and mortar. It can improve the fluidity and construction performance of the mortar, and prolong the water evaporation time, and increase the initial cracks of the concrete. It used for painting gypsum, bonding gypsum, gypsum putty can significantly improve its water retention and bonding strength.

• Toothpaste: HEC can guarantee the stability of toothpaste paste due to its strong salt resistance and acid resistance. In addition, the toothpaste is not easy to dry due to its high water retention and emulsifying ability.

• Water-based ink: HEC can make the ink dry quickly and not penetrate.

• Widely used in textile printing and dyeing, papermaking, and daily chemicals.

Company information:

Mikem Chemical is a global manufacturer and supplier of specialty chemical ingredients. Cellulose Ether is our strength. We offer multiple categories of cellulose and modified products under the brand name "MelaColl". 

 Our MelaColl^TM products include Hydroxypropyl Methyl Cellulose (HPMC or Hypromellose), Hydroxyethyl Cellulose (HEC), Hydroxyethyl Methyl Cellulose (HEMC). We also offer a redispersible polymer powder product, Mikrant^TM RDP, which forms a complementary technology to our MeloColl^TM cellulose portfolio. These products offer an ideal set of functions for a range of industrial applications, such as cement adhesives, cement-based renders, wall putty, EIFS, gypsum-based building materials, ceramics, oil drilling, painting, etc.  

At Mikem, our mission is to generate innovative solutions. To achieve this, we are equipped with independent laboratories and professional technical engineers to constantly develop new solutions and improve existing products. Our technical support team is ready to partner with our customers to solve any of their problems and help grow their business.