Hydroxyethyl Celluose (HEC) is a series of white to off-white powders that are easily dispersed and dissolved in cold and hot water, to produce solutions of varying viscosities. Chemically, it is cellulose of short to very long chain length that has been etherified to a hydroxyethyl ether to achieve an optimum balance of properties. It is used as a viscosity and rheology modifier, protective colloid, water retention agent, stabilizer, and suspending agent, particularly in those applications where a nonionic material is desired.
SL-HE is used extensively in the industrial applications, construction, paints & coatings, ceramics, adhesives, joint fillers, emulsion polymerization, inks, welding rods, pencils, oil & gas industry as a drilling mud additive under the name HEC.