Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) is a chemical material widely used in the construction industry. It belongs to the cellulose ethers. It plays an important role in building materials with its superior properties, especially in dry mortar and putty. In building materials such as powders, tile adhesives, and coatings, the addition of HPMC can significantly improve the construction performance, durability, and physical properties of the products.

1. Improve construction performance
One of the main functions of HPMC is to enhance the working performance of construction materials. In construction, dry mortar, ceramic tile adhesive and other materials need to have good operability and lubricity during construction. HPMC has excellent water retention properties, which can keep the mixed materials properly moist during construction, extend the opening time, and avoid drying out. , peeling and other phenomena occur. This helps construction workers perform more precise operations, reduces errors, and improves construction efficiency.

The water retention of HPMC is also particularly important in putty powder. As a flat material before wall painting, putty needs to maintain a certain humidity for a long time to facilitate subsequent polishing and painting processes. The addition of HPMC can effectively extend the drying time of the putty surface layer, giving it better construction performance.

2. Enhance water retention and adhesion
In mortar materials, water retention is an important factor that determines their bonding force and strength. HPMC has excellent water retention capacity, it can absorb and retain a large amount of moisture, thereby ensuring that the mortar will not lose moisture prematurely before curing. This performance is particularly important for construction in hot and dry climates. HPMC can effectively prevent problems such as cracking and strength reduction caused by materials drying too quickly.

In addition, HPMC improves the bonding strength by improving the viscosity of the mortar. This characteristic is particularly evident in tile adhesives. Tile adhesives added with HPMC can better adhere to the surface of the substrate and prevent the tiles from sliding or falling off, thereby ensuring the stability and durability of the construction.

3. Improve anti-slip ability
During the ceramic tile pasting process, the slipping problem of ceramic tiles is a common problem in construction. The introduction of HPMC has significantly improved the anti-slip performance of ceramic tile adhesives. By enhancing the viscosity of the material, it can effectively reduce the phenomenon of ceramic tiles slipping after being pasted, especially when constructing large-sized ceramic tiles or complex facades.

4. Optimize coating performance
In architectural coatings, HPMC not only provides excellent water retention, but also plays a thickening role, making the coating easier to apply and evenly distributed on the surface of the substrate during use, reducing sagging and splashing. In addition, the introduction of HPMC in paint also improves the leveling properties of the paint and ensures a smooth and flat surface of the paint film.

5. Improve weather resistance and durability
HPMC not only provides good construction performance in mortar, putty and other materials, but also enhances the weather resistance of the material. It can improve the material’s freeze-thaw resistance and aging resistance by retaining moisture in the material and forming a stable network structure after curing. This is especially important for outdoor construction materials, which can significantly improve the durability of the building structure.

6. Reduce cracks and shrinkage
The application of HPMC in construction materials can also effectively reduce shrinkage and cracking problems during drying. In cement-based materials, water evaporates too quickly and easily causes cracks. The water-retaining properties of HPMC can effectively suppress this phenomenon, ensuring that the material maintains a uniform humidity distribution during the curing process, reducing shrinkage after drying, thereby reducing the probability of cracks. .

7. Environmental protection and economic benefits
HPMC is a natural cellulose derivative. Its preparation process is relatively environmentally friendly and does not contain harmful substances. It meets the requirements of the modern construction industry for green building materials. At the same time, the application of HPMC in building materials can reduce waste and rework during construction, thereby improving material utilization and reducing construction costs. While improving material performance, additional repair and maintenance costs are reduced, making the overall construction more cost-effective.

8. Broadness of application fields
HPMC is widely used in the construction industry. It not only plays an important role in traditional dry mortars and ceramic tile adhesives, but is also widely used in self-leveling floors, thermal insulation mortars, gypsum-based materials and other fields. Whether it is a new construction project or the renovation of an old building, HPMC plays an irreplaceable role in improving construction results and enhancing material performance.

As a functional additive, HPMC has made significant contributions to improving material performance in the construction industry with its excellent water retention, thickening, adhesion and other properties. It not only improves the construction performance of building materials, but also significantly improves the quality and durability of construction projects. With the continuous development of construction technology and the promotion of green environmental protection concepts, HPMC will play a more important role in the future construction industry.