Product Designation: Cellulose colloidal microcrystalline 9004-34-6
Colloidal microcrystalline cellulose, also identified by CAS 9004-34-6, is a remarkable compound with essential applications across multiple industries. This article explores its properties, origins, and uses, highlighting its value across various fields. By studying this compound, we understand how it works and the ways it improves products and processes.
Cellulose colloidal microcrystalline 9004-34-6 is a purified cellulose from plant cell walls. Manufacturers commonly use it as a binder, bulking agent, thickener, and stabilizer in food, pharm, cosmetics, and other industries.
Hydrogen bonds hold together the crystalline regions of MCC. It does not dissolve in water but can swell. It has low density, high porosity, and adjustable particle size, including colloidal forms.
MCC is a white to off-white, free-flowing powder. They create MCC by treating plant α-cellulose with acid. Then, they purify it and spray-dry it into light, porous particles.
They use hydrochloric acid at 90–110°C to remove amorphous cellulose. This process creates MCC with 60–80% crystal content. The MCC has high purity, low microbial content, and good flow properties.
What is Product Designation: Cellulose colloidal microcrystalline 9004-34-6
Refined wood pulp produces MCC, which improves texture and prevents clumping in food. It can also replace fat, emulsify, and add bulk. In pharm, it is an important binder in making tablets.
In pharm formulations, MCC functions as an excipient acting as a binder, diluent, disintegrant, and controlled-release matrix. In direct compression tablets, MCC often constitutes 10–60% w/w of the formulation.
Its high softness allows tablets to reach 80–120 N hardness without extra binders. They still break apart quickly, usually in under 5 minutes, if the particle size is right. The porosity and surface area of MCC improve binding efficiency and help distribute the drug evenly. This makes it ideal for tablets with sensitive or moisture-prone active ingredients.
The Science Behind Product Designation: Cellulose colloidal microcrystalline 9004-34-6
Cellulose is a natural polymer made of glucose units linked by β-1,4-glycosidic bonds. Partial hydrolysis breaks cellulose into smaller crystalline domains, forming microcrystalline cellulose. Extensive hydrogen bonds connect the adjacent cellulose chains, stabilizing MCC’s crystalline structure and providing excellent mechanical strength and chemical stability.
In the crystalline regions, each sugar unit (of cellulose) forms about 3–4 hydrogen bonds. This high density results in high thermal stability, with breakdown only beginning above 260°C under dry conditions
MCC has low density and high porosity. This helps it absorb water and excipients.
As a result, it allows for controlled release and makes tablets softer. Its water resistance to digestive enzymes makes it a useful dietary fiber.
Variants and Grades of Product Designation: Cellulose colloidal microcrystalline 9004-34-6
Colloidal MCC contains CMC-Na to help it form a gel. The common formula is 85–92% MCC and 8–15% CMC-Na.
When mixed well, it creates a strong gel network. This gel keeps solid particles suspended for a long time.
Colloidal MCC works well in acidic products like drinks, sauces, and medicine, and stays stable during mixing. Its gel structure makes emulsions and pastes more stable, and the gel thins under pressure, making it easy to pump or spread.
physical & chemical Properties
MCC exhibits low density, high porosity, water-insolubility with swelling behavior, and excellent chemical stability. It does not dissolve in water or most organic solvents.
This means it acts as dietary fiber and helps add bulk to stool. Typical dietary fiber contributions from MCC are 1–3 g per serving in reduced-calorie foods. Clinical data show insoluble cellulose fibers increase fecal mass in relation to intake without systemic absorption.
MCC typically exhibits a specific surface area ranging from 1 to 5 m²/g. Its particle size ranges from 20–200 μm. This allows for precise control of flow, compaction, and viscosity.
Its large surface area helps absorb flavors, colors, and active ingredients. This improves the consistency and sensory qualities of the final products.
Industrial Applications
Food Industry
MCC serves multiple roles in food, such as a thickener, stabilizer, and fat replacer. It enhances the texture and stability of low-fat or low-calorie products without adding digestible calories.
In these foods, it can cut fat while keeping a good texture, with usage usually under 2%. The gel from colloidal MCC makes it even more useful, acting as a multi-purpose stabilizer
The gel made from colloidal MCC is a helpful tool. It works as a thickener, stabilizer, and suspender in foods.
It also stabilizes protein, vitamin, and probiotic suspensions in health supplement formulations, maintaining activity over shelf life. Its swelling properties enhance satiety in fiber-enriched foods and support formulation of gluten-free or reduced-calorie products.
Pharm Industry
MCC functions as a binder and disintegrant in tablets, ensuring mechanical integrity and controlled breakdown. Its porous particle structure has 70–90% void volume. This allows active ingredients to diffuse slowly. It supports sustained-release profiles that last 6 to 24 hours.
In direct compression tablets, MCC can provide hardness while ensuring rapid breaking apart. Colloidal MCC combines acid resistance and viscosity retention, performing reliably under acidic and mechanical stress conditions in oral suspensions, restorable powders, and pediatric formulations.
- Its high softness and binding efficiency reduce the need for additional excipients, simplifying formulation and improving tablet consistency. MCC can help with sustained-release coatings. It also improves flow in capsule filling. Typical use is between 0.3% and 2%.
- Texture & Stability: It provides a texture that becomes thinner when mixed or spread, making products easy to apply. It remains stable when stored between 4°C and 40°C.
In cosmetic applications, MCC functions as an effective stabilizer and texturizer. It enhances the stability and sensory properties of lotions and creams, contributing to smooth, easily spreadable formulations. MCC is gentle and works well with many cosmetic ingredients. It also gives a smooth, non-gritty feel on the skin during use.
Cosmetic and Personal Care
MCC improves the thickness, feel, and stability of creams, lotions, and powders. Its adjustable flow and swelling ability help in tablets, capsules, drinks, foods, and cosmetics.
Safety and Regulatory Profile
- Safety: MCC is widely recognized as safe (GRAS), non‑toxic, and exhibits no systemic absorption following oral ingestion. Long‑term safety studies have reported no adverse effects even at high dose levels.
- Stability: In its dry form, MCC remains stable for over three years. It works well across a wide pH range. It also works with common additives like salts and surfactants. No evidence of sensitization, gene damage risk, or cancer risk exists.
Performance and Functional Characteristics
- You can adjust the performance of MCC. You can change its properties, such as flow, viscosity, and compaction. You can modify its physical features, such as particle size and surface area, to achieve this.
- Mix MCC with CMC-Na to create colloidal MCC gel. This creates a strong, three-dimensional gel structure. This structure improves thickening, suspension, and stabilizing in complex formulations.
- This gel is thick when still but flows when shaken or spread (thixotropy). Good at holding particles, resisting acid, and keeping products stable. This makes it great for use in drinks, sauces, and medicines
- Synergistic Effect: Combining MCC with CMC-Na creates a better thickener and stabilizer than using either component alone.
Cosmetic and Personal Care
MCC improves the thickness, feel, and stability of creams, lotions, and powders. Its adjustable flow and swelling ability help in tablets, capsules, drinks, foods, and cosmetics.
Conclusion
Colloidal microcrystalline cellulose (CAS 9004-34-6) remains a key functional ingredient across industries because of its structural versatility, safety profile, and tunable performance. Advances in processing and formulation continue to expand its role in sustainable, high-performance product development. Its thixotropic gel has many benefits. It helps improve stability, texture, and controlled release in food, drug, and cosmetic products.
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