Carbomer 940

Carbomer 940 is a polyvinyl carboxy polymer used as a viscosity enhancer, gelling agent, or suspension agent. Carbomer 940 is cross linked with ethers of pentaerythritol, and is used primarily in systems where sparkling clarity or a sharp viscosity response is required.

Carbomer 940 will impart unbelievalbe softness and glide, comparable to the glycols, when added to your formulations.

Carbomer 940 can be used to thicken surfactant systems, and to create suspension products. It is excellent when you need to suspend heavy particles. Viscosity actually has nothing to do with the ability of a product to suspend items such as jojoba beads or capispheres. For instance, a shower gel as thick as jello will allow the beads to either sink or rise while a water thin product that contains Carbomer can suspend ball bearings. This is because the Carbomer forms a Network that can trap and suspend the beads very effectively.

Carbomer 940 can also be used to create gel products very easily and cost effectively and Carbomer viscosity stands up to the incorporation of different fragrance and essential oils much better than standard surfactant thickeners. When surfactant thickeners are used, fragrance and essential oils can get into the middle of the micellar structure of the gel formed and interfere with the structure to have a dramatic effect on surfactant system stability. By contrast, the network created by Carbomer 940 is not influenced in this way.

SPECIFICATIONS

GUIDELINES

Usage: 0.25 - 1.0%
Add to room temperature liquid only
Compatability: because Carbomer 940 is anionic viscosity is affected by cations (especially sodium) and you will need to neutralize prior to
the addition of other phase ingredients to minimize the impact, otherwise neutralize final formulation
Neutralization: solution will not fully thicken until neutralized (pH raised)

We recommend using Tetrasodium EDTA or Suttocide A to neutralize the Carbomer. Test the pH of the formulation with your pH meter. Then add neutralizing agent until a pH of 5.5-7 (depending on preference) is achieved.

Other neutralizing ingredients (in ratio):

• TEA (Triethanolamine)99%: Begin with 99% pure Triethanolamine, and create a 50%solution with distilled water. Of this solution, you would generally use 4 parts TEA to every 1 part Carbomer 940.
• NaOH (Sodium Hydroxide): Begin with Caustic Soda Pearls and make a 25% solution with distilled water. Of this solution, you would generally use 2 parts NaOH to every 1 part Carbomer 940.
• KOH (Potassium Hydroxide): Begin with Potassium Hydroxide and make a 25%solution with distilled water. Of this solution, you would generally use 2 parts KOH to every 1 part Carbomer 940.
• DOW Versene 100 (Tetrasodium EDTA): Generally, you would add 1 part TetrasodiumEDTA to 1 part Carbomer 940.
• Suttocide A: Generally, you would use slightly more Suttocide A than Carbomer 940, for instance 0.9% Carbomer 940 and 1% Suttocide A. Suttocide A will preserve the formulation and neutralize the Carbomer. This is the exact ratio we typically use, and find that we can achieve adequate suspension, viscosity, and preservation with these exact usage rates while maintaining crystal clear solutions.

1. Hydrating the Carbomer: As with gums, Carbomer 940 should be put into a dry container to which the amount of room temperature distilled/deionized water, in your formula, will be added. Carbomer 940 should then be allowed to swell/hydrate. The pH of the Carbomer gel will be about 3.3 prior to neutralization (see 4).
2. When the Carbomer is fully hydrated, and IF the formula does not contain ingredients that may have compatibility issues with Carbomer (see 3), then incorporate the remaining aqueous ingredients and heat if necessary. Incorporate other phases if applicable.
3.Compatibility: Carbomer 940 is anionic, and therefore may experience compatibility problems with any cationic material. Sodium (salt) may have a negative effect on the viscosity of Carbomer 940 products. To minimize these negative effects, neutralize(see 4) Carbomer gel before adding in the other phases/ingredients.
4.Neutralization: Preferably, neutralization would take place at the end of formulation.This would be the instruction in all cases except as mentioned in (3). This is preferable because the Carbomer will not fully thicken the product until you raise the pH. This makes the formulation easier to work with.