Carboxymethyl Cellulose (CMC) Supplier in Malaysia
- Also known as
- CMC
- Sodium Carboxymethyl Cellulose
- Cellulose Gum
- E466
ChemTrade supplies carboxymethyl cellulose to food, industrial and drilling buyers across Malaysia. Everything we carry is the sodium salt, sold as sodium CMC, cellulose gum or E466, in 20 and 25 kg bags. Chinese, European and Turkish material is available depending on grade.
Purity and viscosity are the two things that decide which grade you need. Food grade runs at 99.5% sodium CMC minimum and sits inside the E466 limits. Technical grade carries more residual salt, costs less, and is what detergent, textile sizing and paper coating buyers order.
Viscosity is quoted as the nominal 2% solution figure and the commercial range is wide. High viscosity grades thicken and suspend at low dosage, while low viscosity grades go in at high solids for sizing, film forming and drilling fluid filtration control. Tell us the viscosity you are aiming at and the dosage you can afford, and we will match a grade to it.
CMC is hygroscopic, so bags stay sealed until they are used, and it skins into lumps if it is tipped into still water. Feed it into a vortex or dry blend it with another powder in the recipe and it hydrates cleanly. Ask for the grade documentation you need with your enquiry, food specification or halal included, and we will confirm what the producer holds.
- CAS number
- 9004-32-4
- HS code
- 3912.31
- Grade
- food, technical
- Appearance
- white to slightly yellowish free-flowing powder
- Availability
- Local stock
Carboxymethyl Cellulose 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Food grade CMC | white to slightly yellowish powder | ≥ 99.5% | Stabilises ice cream and frozen desserts against ice crystal growth, and gives body to sauces, syrups, jams, noodle dough and suspended beverages. Carries the E466 number and ships with the producer's food grade documentation. | 20 or 25 kg bag |
| Technical grade CMC | off-white powder or granules | — | The anti redeposition agent in laundry powder and detergent liquid, the warp size in textile weaving, and the surface size that lifts paper strength and filler retention. Lower purity than food grade and priced accordingly, for anything with no food contact. | 20 or 25 kg bag |
| High viscosity CMC | powder, high molecular weight | — | Builds viscosity and holds solids in suspension at low dosage, so it suits products that have to stay thick and separation free through months of storage. | 20 or 25 kg bag |
| Low viscosity CMC | powder, low molecular weight | — | Goes in at a high addition rate without making the batch unworkable, which is what sizing, film forming and drilling fluid filtration control need. Also the choice where a drink needs body but not a thick mouthfeel. | 20 or 25 kg bag |
How to buy carboxymethyl cellulose from ChemTrade
Request a quote for carboxymethyl cellulose
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 | white to slightly yellowish powder, granules or fine fibres | — |
| Solubility | soluble in cold and hot water, forms a colloidal solution | — |
| Sodium CMC content (food grade) | ≥ 99.5 % | dried basis, E466 specification |
| Degree of substitution (food grade) | 0.2 to 1.5 | E466 specification |
| pH (1% solution) | 6.0 to 8.5 | — |
| Loss on drying | ≤ 12 % | 105 °C to constant weight |
| Viscosity | quoted per grade as the nominal 2% solution figure at 25 °C | — |
Carboxymethyl Cellulose applications
Safety and handling
Store sealed in a cool, dry place. CMC is hygroscopic and will draw moisture from the air, which pushes up the loss on drying figure and cakes a bag that has been opened and left. Spilled powder becomes very slippery once wet, so sweep it up dry before washing the floor, and wear safety glasses and a dust mask when charging bags by hand.
Common questions about carboxymethyl cellulose
Which viscosity grade should I order?
It depends on the dose you can afford and the body you need. A high viscosity grade thickens hard at a low addition rate, which keeps formulation cost down but can make a batch difficult to mix. A low viscosity grade lets you load far more solids before the mix stiffens. Send us the target viscosity of the finished product and the percentage you intend to add, and we will name the grade rather than leave you to guess.
Is CMC halal?
It is made from plant cellulose, monochloroacetic acid and caustic soda, with no animal derived input at any stage, which is why it is widely used in Malaysian food manufacturing. Formal certification is held by the producer and differs by plant and by grade, so tell us you need it when you enquire and we will confirm what certificate covers the grade we are quoting before you commit.
What is the difference between food grade and technical grade?
Purity and paperwork. Food grade is at least 99.5% sodium CMC on the dried basis, sits inside the E466 limits for salt, glycolate and lead, and comes with documentation you can show an auditor. Technical grade carries more residual salt and no food specification, costs less, and is the right choice for detergent, textiles, paper and drilling.
How do we stop it lumping when we disperse it?
Dumping dry CMC into still water skins the outside of each lump and the centre never wets out. Feed it slowly into a vortex, or dry blend it with sugar or another powder in the recipe first so the particles arrive separated. Warm water hydrates faster but a fully dispersed cold mix will still reach full viscosity given time.
Can you supply a drilling grade for mud?
Yes, on indent. Drilling buyers order by viscosity rather than by brand, so send the specification your mud programme calls for along with the volume and the well schedule, and we will source against it. Our bagged stock turns over on food and technical grades, so build lead time into the request.
What packing do you supply?
20 kg and 25 kg bags are what moves. We buy from several producers, so if your line needs a different bag weight or a pallet configuration to suit your handling, ask and we will usually get it.