Ethyl cellulose (or ethylcellulose) is a derivative of

cellulose Cellulose is an organic compound with the chemical formula, formula , a polysaccharide consisting of a linear chain of several hundred to many thousands of glycosidic bond, β(1→4) linked glucose, D-glucose units. Cellulose is an important s ...

in which some of the

hydroxyl group In chemistry, a hydroxy or hydroxyl group is a functional group with the chemical formula and composed of one oxygen atom covalently bonded to one hydrogen atom. In organic chemistry, alcohols and carboxylic acids contain one or more hydroxy ...

s on the repeating

glucose Glucose is a sugar with the Chemical formula#Molecular formula, molecular formula , which is often abbreviated as Glc. It is overall the most abundant monosaccharide, a subcategory of carbohydrates. It is mainly made by plants and most algae d ...

units are converted into ethyl

ether In organic chemistry, ethers are a class of compounds that contain an ether group, a single oxygen atom bonded to two separate carbon atoms, each part of an organyl group (e.g., alkyl or aryl). They have the general formula , where R and R� ...

groups. The number of ethyl groups can vary depending on the manufacturer. It is mainly used as a thin-film coating material for coating paper, vitamin and medical pills, and for thickeners in cosmetics and in industrial processes. Food grade ethyl cellulose is one of few non-toxic films and thickeners which are not water-soluble. This property allows it to be used to safeguard ingredients from water. Ethyl cellulose is also used as a food additive as an

emulsifier An emulsion is a mixture of two or more liquids that are normally immiscible (unmixable or unblendable) owing to liquid-liquid phase separation. Emulsions are part of a more general class of two-phase systems of matter called colloids. Althou ...

(E462). Ethyl cellulose is commonly used as a coating material for tablets and capsules, as it provides a protective barrier that prevents the active ingredients from being released too quickly in the digestive system. EC is also used as a binder, thickener, and stabilizer in a variety of food, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical products.

References

Cellulose Food additives Excipients Cellulose ethers E-number additives {{polymer-stub

See also

References