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Formulating Gel at low pH
How can I make a Gel at pH 4-5 ? is there any gelling agent or a way that works at acidic pH(4-5.5) ?
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10 Replies
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Yes, use Lubrizol Carbopol Ultrez-30 … it gels at low pH 4.0 to 5.5
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Great! thank you so much! is Lubrizol Carbopol Ultrez-30 compatible with electrolytes?
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I think the new smart line may fit your needs
https://www.lubrizol.com/Personal-Care/Carbopol-SMART -
I would try the Ultrez 30 first as very easy to use with good electrolyte tolerance.If you have a problem due to electrolyte stability tryCarbopol SF 1.
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thank u, Bob!
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you can also try sepimax zen from seppic
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@MarkBroussard
@DRBOB@VERDIENT.BIZ
About the low pH carbomers:
As soon as I put the phases together, the polymer is already unraveling: can I still use high shear to mix the emulsion? (I disperse carbomers in the heated oil phase btw).I have asked Lubrizol about a polymer with high electrolyte tolerance and they suggested ETD 2020, which I have right now.
I wanted a carbomer that can withstand 2% of an approx. 49% sodium phytate solution (Dermofeel Enlight).
I also have bought Sepimax Zen but haven’t worked with it yet.
Is Zen’s tolerance higher than 2020? -
@doreen81:
You should disperse the Carbomer in the water phase, not the oil phase, so it can hydrolyze. Best you homogenize, then neutralize the emulsion to form the carbomer gel.
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@MarkBroussard
What I meant was (despite in which phase it is dispersed, water or oil) if the emulsion before neutralizing has a pH of about 5 and if the type of carbomer has high viscosity at lower pH’s: it will start unraveling before it is neutralized. Polymers are sensitive to high shear when fully unraveled, so I hope I don’t damage the strucure when I still need to homogenize and neutralize, but the polymer has already unraveled because of it being viscous at low pH?
Thát was my concern. The few times I’ve worked with low pH carbomers, I’ve used low shear to avoid an irreversible viscosity drop due to structural damage. But I wonder if there are other/better ways to deal with it. -
You can also try Carbopol Aqua SF-1 or SF-2. They will allow for low pH
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