Humectancy

Emulsion Adhesives. The most widely used emulsion-based adhesive is that based upon poly(vinyl acetate)—poly(vinyl alcohol) copolymers formed by free-radical polymerization in an emulsion system. Poly(vinyl alcohol) is typically formed by hydrolysis of the poly(vinyl acetate). The properties of the emulsion are derived from the polymer employed in the polymerization as weU as from the system used to emulsify the polymer in water. The emulsion is stabilized by a combination of a surfactant plus a coUoid protection system. The protective coUoids are similar to those used paint (qv) to stabilize latex. For poly(vinyl acetate), the protective coUoids are isolated from natural gums and ceUulosic resins (carboxymethylceUulose or hydroxyethjdceUulose). The hydroHzed polymer may also be used. The physical properties of the poly(vinyl acetate) polymer can be modified by changing the co-monomer used in the polymerization. Any material which is free-radically active and participates in an emulsion polymerization can be employed. Plasticizers (qv), tackifiers, viscosity modifiers, solvents (added to coalesce the emulsion particles), fillers, humectants, and other materials are often added to the adhesive to meet specifications for the intended appHcation. Because the presence of foam in the bond line could decrease performance of the adhesion joint, agents that control the amount of air entrapped in an adhesive bond must be added. Biocides are also necessary many of the materials that are used to stabilize poly(vinyl acetate) emulsions are natural products. Poly(vinyl acetate) adhesives known as "white glue" or "carpenter s glue" are available under a number of different trade names. AppHcations are found mosdy in the area of adhesion to paper and wood (see Vinyl polymers). 

Humectants. In certain foods, it is necessary to control the amount of water that enters or exits the product. It is for this purpose that humectants are employed. Polyhydric alcohols (polyols), which include propylene glycol [57-55-6], C2Hg02, glycerol [56-81-5], C HgO, sorbitol [50-70-4], and mannitol [69-65-8], contain numerous hydroxyl groups (see Alcohols,polyhydric). Their stmcture makes them hydrophilic and... 

Propylene glycol is also an effective humectant, preservative, and stabilizer and is found in such diverse apphcations as semimoist pet food, bakery goods, food flavorings, salad dressings, and shave creams. Humectancy, or the capabiUty of retaining moisture in a product, is a result of the vapor—Hquid equihbria of the glycol—water system and can be estimated from tables provided by suppHers (27). 

Inks. The main components of the inks ate typically water, colorants, and humectants. Additives ate used to control drying time, waterfastness, lightfastness, and consistency of drop formation. Water is an excellent vehicle for ink jet because of its high surface tension and safety in all environments. 

Inks for continuous ink-jet printers typically comprise dyes dissolved in water or solvent having salts added to make the ink conductive for electrostatic charging. Whenever waterproof printing is required, low boiling solvent inks ate used. For printers that ate used in office environments, water is used as the ink solvent. Using water-based inks, humectants may be added to inhibit drying of ink in the sump and surfactants ate added to wet the printing surface. 

Humectants and low vapor pressure cosolvents are added to inhibit drying of ink in the no22les. Surfactants or cosolvents that lower surface tension are added to promote absorption of ink vehicle by the paper and to prevent bleed. For improvements in durabiUty, additional materials such as film-forming polymers have been added. Ink developments are providing ink-jet prints with improved lightfastness, waterfastness, and durabiUty. As a result, such prints are beginning to rival the quaUty of electrophotographic prints. 

Humectants such as propylene glycol, glycerol, sorbitol, or calcium chloride can prevent drying and caking. 

Pet Foods and Commercial Animal Feeds. Eor many years, it has been known that stable, long-shelf-life, intermediate-moisture pet foods can be prepared through the use of 0.1—0.3 wt % sorbates. In these products, the antimicrobial effectiveness of sorbates is enhanced by a combination of moderate heat treatment, pH adjustment, and reduced water activity via humectants such as propylene glycol, or by adjusting sugar and salt content. These techniques have been reviewed extensively (138,139). 

Important physical and functional properties of maltose and maltose symps include sweetness, viscosity, color stabiUty, humectancy, freezing point depression, and promotion of beneficial human intestinal microflora growth. Maltose possesses ca 30—40% of the sweetness of sucrose in the pure state (32). 

Uses. High fmctose symp is used as a partial or complete replacement for sucrose or invert sugar in food appHcations to provide sweetness, flavor enhancement, fermentables, or humectant properties. It is used in beverages, baking, confections, processed foods, dairy products, and other apphcations. Worldwide HES production in the 1994—1995 fiscal year was estimated at about 8.6 x 10 t (dry basis) (18). About 75% of total world production is in the United States. 

Com symps [8029-43 ] (glucose symp, starch symp) are concentrated solutions of partially hydrolyzed starch containing dextrose, maltose, and higher molecular weight saccharides. In the United States, com symps are produced from com starch by acid and enzyme processes. Other starch sources such as wheat, rice, potato, and tapioca are used elsewhere depending on avadabiHty. Symps are generally sold in the form of viscous Hquid products and vary in physical properties, eg, viscosity, humectancy, hygroscopicity, sweetness, and fermentabiHty. 

The hygroscopic and humectant properties of com symps are of great importance in many apphcations. Depending on the type of symp and on the specific conditions of temperature and humidity, the products may either resist or facihtate moisture loss or moisture absorption. The abihty to attract moisture or retard its loss increases with increasing DE value. Prevention of moisture pickup is more characteristic of symps having low DE values. 

Tackifiers are used to increase the tackiness and the setting speed of adhesives. They increase tackiness by softening the poly(vinyl acetate) polymer in the wet and the dry adhesive film. Tackifiers are usually rosin or its derivatives or phenoHc resins. Other additives frequently needed for specific apphcation and service conditions are antifoams, biocides, wetting agents, and humectants. 

The abihty to moisturize the stratum corneum has also been claimed for the presence of certain hydrophilic polymers, for example, guar hydroxypropyl trimonium chloride [65497-29-2] on the skin. By far the most popular way to moisturize skin is with humectants, some of which are Hsted in Table 12. It is claimed that humectants attract water from the environment and thereby provide moisture to the skin. 

Toothpaste contains an abrasive (qv), flavor, a humectant system, a surfactant, a binding and thickening agent, color, and one or more therapeutic or cosmetic agents. 

Specific Toothpaste Formulations. Two types of toothpaste formulation predominate. Type 1 is alow abrasive—high solvent toothpaste (Table 1) type 2 is a high abrasive—low solvent toothpaste (Table 2). The most important differences are the ratio of humectant to abrasive and the nature of the abrasive. Type 1 dentifrices were introduced nationally to the U.S. market in 1970 and now constitute the predominant type. Type 2 dentifrices represent a popular earlier formulation, in which economic and scientific considerations related to the abrasive and humectant favored use of a maximum amount of the abrasive component. AH type 1 dentifrices of the early 1990s contain an amorphous hydrated siUca powder as the abrasive. Type 2 dentifrices may contain one or more of many insoluble minerals. 

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