Carbomer Supplier in Malaysia
- Also known as
- Carboxyvinyl Polymer
- Carboxypolymethylene
- Carbomera
Carbomer supplier in Malaysia for personal care, pharmaceutical, household and agrochemical formulators who need a thickener that gels an aqueous system at a fraction of a percent. It is a high molecular weight acrylic acid polymer, crosslinked so that it swells rather than dissolves, and it is traded mainly as a fine white powder.
The grade code is the buying decision. A 940 type gives the short, clear, high-viscosity gel that hand sanitiser and clear gel work expects, 941 suits emulsions and suspensions that need stability more than stiffness, 934 remains in older thick topical formulations and 980 covers clear-gel work whose specification names that code. Copolymer and interpolymer types add surfactant and electrolyte tolerance, while pre-neutralised dispersions avoid powder handling.
Carbomer is dispersed into water as an acid slurry and then neutralised, which is when viscosity appears. That makes it different from linear polyacrylic acid, which is sold for scale inhibition and dispersion, and from sodium polyacrylate. Both of those are separate products with their own pages, and so is acrylic acid, the monomer.
Send the grade code or the rheology you need, the polymer family, the end use, the quantity and the delivery location with your enquiry. What can be offered against that grade, and the documentation with it, comes back in the quotation.
- Grade
- homopolymer, copolymer, cosmetic, pharmaceutical
- Appearance
- fine white hygroscopic powder with a slight characteristic odour
Carbomer grades and forms
We supply several forms to suit different formulating and dosing setups. If you need a size that is not listed, ask us.
| Grade | Form | Assay | Typical use | Packing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carbomer 940 type homopolymer | fine white fluffy powder | — | The reference grade for short, sparkling clear gels, so it is what hand sanitiser, alcohol gel and clear aqueous gel formulations usually quote. Reaches high viscosity at low use levels once neutralised. | Confirm the required pack format with the quotation. |
| Carbomer 941 type homopolymer | fine white powder | — | Selected for lower-viscosity systems that have to stay stable, such as emulsions and suspensions where the polymer suspends particles or oil droplets rather than forming a stiff gel. | Confirm the required pack format with the quotation. |
| Carbomer 934 type homopolymer | fine white powder | — | The older high-viscosity grade still specified in thick topical gels, creams and lubricant bases, and in formulations whose documentation was written around it. | Confirm the required pack format with the quotation. |
| Carbomer 980 type homopolymer | fine white powder | — | Requested where a clear gel of the same character is wanted but the formulation document calls for the 980 designation rather than 940, usually on residual solvent grounds. Send the code the specification names. | Confirm the required pack format with the quotation. |
| Carbomer copolymer and interpolymer grades | fine white to off-white powder | — | Alkyl-modified and interpolymer types chosen for easier wetting, better tolerance of surfactants and electrolytes, and emulsification without a separate emulsifier. Name the surfactant system the gel has to survive. | Confirm the required pack format with the quotation. |
| Pre-neutralised carbomer dispersion | pourable liquid dispersion | — | Supplied already dispersed for plants that want to avoid powder handling and the dusting stage, at the cost of freighting water and of less control over the final pH adjustment. | Confirm the required pack format with the quotation. |
How to buy carbomer from ChemTrade
Request a quote for carbomer
Use the form below to request a quotation. You can also email sales@chemtrademalaysia.com or send us a message on WhatsApp.
Specifications
| Parameter | Value | Method |
|---|---|---|
| Appearance | fine white powder on dry grades; pourable liquid on dispersion grades | — |
| Odour | slight, characteristic | — |
| Polymer type | high molecular weight acrylic acid polymer crosslinked with a polyalkenyl ether or divinyl glycol, supplied in the acid form | — |
| Behaviour in water | disperses in water as an acidic, low-viscosity slurry and thickens sharply once neutralised with an alkali such as sodium hydroxide or triethanolamine | — |
| Working pH | viscosity develops from roughly pH 5 upward and plateaus in the neutral range, which is where most gels are held | — |
| Typical use level | fractions of a percent to about one percent of the formulation, depending on the grade and the target viscosity | — |
| Hygroscopicity | absorbs moisture from air, so containers are kept closed and resealed after part use | — |
| Grade designation | quoted by grade code and by homopolymer, copolymer or interpolymer family rather than by a single specification | — |
Carbomer applications
Safety and handling
Store closed in a cool, dry place. The powder is light and hygroscopic, so control dust when charging, avoid breathing it and reseal opened containers. Follow the safety information issued for the grade quoted. Supply is subject to applicable requirements.
Common questions about carbomer
What is the difference between carbomer 940 and 941?
They are two grades of the same polymer family with different rheology. The 940 type gives short, high-viscosity, sparkling clear gels, while 941 builds less viscosity and is chosen where an emulsion or suspension has to stay stable and pourable. Quote the grade code your formulation was developed on.
Can I request a carbomer against a brand grade code?
Yes. Buyers usually arrive with a brand grade code from a formulation document, and the practical route is to send that code with the viscosity and clarity you need so an equivalent generic carbomer grade can be matched. The enquiry is answered with a carbomer grade, not with a claim to supply any named brand.
Is carbomer the same as polyacrylic acid?
Not as a purchase. Carbomer is a high molecular weight crosslinked acrylic acid polymer built to gel, while linear water-soluble polyacrylic acid is a different product sold for scale inhibition and dispersion and has its own page. Order the crosslinked gelling grade by name if a gel is what you need.
How much carbomer is used in a formulation?
Most gels and emulsions sit somewhere between a fraction of a percent and about one percent, set by the grade and the viscosity target. The use level is decided in your own trials, so treat any figure as a starting point rather than a specification.
Why does carbomer need to be neutralised?
As supplied it is an acid polymer that only disperses in water without much thickening. Adding an alkali such as sodium hydroxide solution or triethanolamine ionises the carboxyl groups, the coils open out and the viscosity develops, which is why gel making is a dispersion step followed by neutralisation.
What details are needed for a carbomer price enquiry?
Send the grade code or required rheology, the homopolymer or copolymer family, the end use, the documentation the application needs, the quantity and the delivery location. Carbomer is quoted on enquiry rather than carried at a published price.