Polymer, Water-soluble

Name:
Polymer, Water-soluble
Detailed information:
Any substance of high molecular weight that swells or dissolves in water at normal temperature. These fall into several groups, including natural, semisynthetic, and synthetic products. Their common property of water solubility makes them valuable for a wide variety of applications as thickeners, adhesives, coatings, food additives, textile sizing, etc.See specific entries. (1) Natural. This type is principally composed of gums, which are complex carbohydrates of the sugar group. They occur as exudations of hardened sap on the bark of various tropical species of trees. All are strongly hydrophilic. Examples are arabic, tragacanth, karaya.(2) Semisynthetic. This group (sometimes called water-soluble resins) includes such chemically treated natural polymers as carboxymethylcellulose, methylcellulose, and other cellulose ethers, as well as various kinds of modified starches (ethers and acetates).(3) Synthetic. The principal members of this class are polyvinyl alcohol, ethylene oxide polymers, polyvinyl pyrrolidone, polyethyleneimine.