Thickening agent

Thickening agents (including thickeners or binders ) are - as a rule aqueous - solutions added to increase its viscosity.

Thickeners are substances which are primarily able to bind water. By removal of unbound water, it is to increase the viscosity. As is characteristic of every thickener concentration near to this effect on even network effects, which lead to a most disproportionate increase in viscosity. One speaks in this case, assuming that molecules ' communicate ' with each other, ie entangle. Most thickeners are linear or branched macromolecules (eg polysaccharides or proteins) that can interact with each other by intermolecular interactions such as hydrogen bonding, hydrophobic interactions, or ion relationships. Extreme cases of thickening agents are phyllosilicates ( bentonite, hectorite ) or hydrated SiO2 particles, which are present as dispersed particles and can bind in its solid-like structure of water or because of the described interactions may interact with each other.

Find use thickeners, inter alia, in foods, cosmetics, detergents, inks, wall paints, coating paints, plasters and cement mortar. Among the known thickening agents include pectins, guar, locust bean gum, carrageenan, cellulose ethers, polyvinyl alcohol and silicates.

Use in paints and printing inks

Rheological additives for paints need a higher viscosity.

Low molecular weight organic products

  • Metal soaps
  • Hydrogenated castor oil
  • Modified fatty acid derivatives
  • Polyamides

Organic natural thickeners

  • Strength
  • Gelatin
  • Casein

Modified natural substances

  • Hydroxyethyl
  • Carboxymethyl
  • Hydroxypropylmethylcellulose
  • Hydroxypropylcellulose
  • Ethylhydroxyethylcellulose

Organic fully synthetic thickener

The organic, vollsynthethischen thickening agents include polyvinyl alcohols, polyacrylic acid and polymethacrylic acids, polyacrylamides, polyvinyl pyrrolidone, and polyethylene glycols.

Associative thickeners

The associative thickeners are similar to the surfactants, as they have both hydrophobic and hydrophilic ends and side chains. The formation of micelles leads to increase in viscosity. In contrast to the purely acting by swelling thickeners, associative thickeners interact with the latex particles and connect them via Mizellbrücken. The associative thickeners include hydrophobically modified polyacrylates ( HASE ), hydrophobically modified cellulose ethers ( HMHEC ), hydrophobically modified polyacrylamides ( HMPAM ), hydrophobically modified polyether ( HMPEs ) and associative polyurethane thickener.

Use in the pharmaceutical industry

Thickeners are used in the pharmaceutical industry except for gels and lotions and as a component of tablets. Through the absorption of water, these substances swell in the stomach or intestine, causing the active ingredient from the dosage form can be released.

Come in addition in addition to the usual in the food industry, materials used:

  • Polyethylene glycol
  • Polyacrylic acid ( Carbopol )
  • Cellulose derivatives

Use in the food industry

Multiple Uses find a thickener in the food industry. Their main task is to give the product a certain consistency or texture ( mouthfeel ) or slow down unwanted separation processes during storage ( settling of particles, phase separation). Some thickening agents can also be used to mimic a ' greasy ' consistency (light products ) to substitute fat. Some thickening agents are indigestible and therefore represent fiber

Following thickeners are used in the food industry. You must be declared on the ingredient list.

In addition, gelatin and modified starch (group: E 1404, 1410, 1412, 1413, 1414, 1420, 1422, 1440, 1442, 1450 and 1451 ).

In the kitchen thickeners are known more as a binder. The usual are:

  • Agar
  • Yolk
  • Gelatin
  • Roux
  • Flour Butter
  • Pectin
  • Arrowroot
  • Sago
  • Strength
Hydrophobe Hydrophile Dietary fiber Carboxymethyl cellulose
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