Methyl cellulose has a wide range of uses.
Medical Constipation Methylcellulose is used to treat
constipation and is classified as a
bulk forming laxative. It works by increasing the amount of stool present which improves intestinal contractions. Effects generally occur within three days. Solutions containing methyl cellulose or similar cellulose derivatives are used as substitute for
tears or
saliva if the natural production of these fluids is disturbed.
Medication manufacturing Methyl cellulose is used in the manufacture of drug
capsules; its edible and nontoxic properties provide a vegetarian alternative to the use of
gelatin.
Consumer products Thickener and emulsifier Methylcellulose is occasionally added to
hair shampoos,
tooth pastes and liquid soaps, to generate their characteristic thick consistency. This is also done for foods, for example
ice cream or
croquette. Methylcellulose also prevents the separation of emulsions because it is an emulsion
stabilizer.
Food The
E number of methylcellulose as food additive is E461. E464 is hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, which is more soluble in water. Methylcellulose, as a
gel, has the unique property of setting when hot and
melting when cold. In some
meat analogues that are intended to replicate the texture of meat, methylcellulose is used as an ingredient, typically in concentrations less than 2%.
Lubricant Methyl cellulose may be used in
personal lubricant.
Construction materials Methyl cellulose finds a major application as a performance additive in construction materials. It is added to
mortar dry mixes to improve the mortar's properties such as workability, open and adjustment time, water retention, viscosity, adhesion to surfaces etc. Construction grade methyl cellulose is not to be identified with food and pharmaceutical grade methyl cellulose and
hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose, as it may be cross-linked with
glyoxal for easy dispersion in water. The construction materials can be cement-based or gypsum-based. Notable examples of dry mixture mortars which utilize methyl cellulose include tile adhesives, EIFS, insulating plasters, hand-trowelled and machine-sprayed plaster, stucco, self-leveling flooring, extruded cement panels, skim coats, joint & crack fillers, and tile grouts. Typical usage is about 0.2% – 0.5% of total dry powder weight for dry mixtures. Derivatives of methyl cellulose which improve performance characteristics include
hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose (HPMC) and
hydroxyethyl methyl cellulose (HEMC). These derivatives typically improve the characteristics such as water retention, vertical surface slip resistance, open time, etc.
Glue and binder Methyl cellulose can be employed as a mild
glue which can be washed away with water. This may be used in the fixing of delicate pieces of art as well as in book conservation to loosen and clean off old glue from spines and bookboards. Methyl cellulose is the main ingredient in many
wallpaper pastes. It is also used as a binder in
pastel crayons and also as a
binder in medications. Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) is an FDA-approved water-soluble adhesive, has been used in various wet-adhesion applications in construction products, paints, and drug delivery for 70 years. HPMC adheres strongly to all wet surfaces, regardless of hydrophobicity.
Paint Methyl cellulose is used as a
rheological modifier in paint to prevent 'sagging'.
Paper and textile sizing Methyl cellulose is used as
sizing in the production of papers and textiles as it protects the fibers from absorbing water or oil. When applied to several pieces of paper, methyl cellulose will bind the layers together, often to create a more durable or multicolored sheet. In addition,
origami artists use it to coat their origami models, as the compound will stiffen and protect the paper against time.
Dust control Hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose (HPMC) and
hydroxyethyl methyl cellulose (HEMC) are used as binders in dust control technologies. They mitigate
fugitive dust released in arid and semi-arid areas as well as improve commercial face masks when used in the filtering material.
Cell culture Methyl cellulose is also used in
cell culture to study
viral replication. It is dissolved in the same nutrient-containing
medium in which cells are normally grown. A
single layer of cells is grown on a flat surface, then infected with a virus for a short time. The strength of the viral sample used will determine how many cells get infected during this time. The thick methyl cellulose medium is then added on top of the cells in place of normal liquid medium. As the viruses replicate in the infected cells, they are able to spread between cells whose membranes touch each other, but are trapped when they enter the methyl cellulose. Only cells closely neighboring an infected cell will become infected and die. This leaves small regions of dead cells called
plaques in a larger background of living uninfected cells. The number of plaques formed is determined by the strength of the original sample.
Bacterial and protozoal motility inhibitor Aqueous methyl cellulose solutions have been used to slow bacterial and protozoal cell motility for closer inspection. Changing the amount of methyl cellulose in solution permits the adjustment of the solution's viscosity.
Stem cell differentiation Methyl cellulose is used in the most common approaches to quantify multiple or single lineage-committed hematopoietic progenitors, called colony-forming cells (CFCs) or colony-forming units (CFUs), in combination with culture supplements that promote their proliferation and differentiation, and allow the clonal progeny of a single progenitor cell to stay together and thus form a colony of more mature cells.
Chemistry It is a
hydrophilic white powder in pure form and dissolves in cold (but not in hot) water, forming a clear viscous solution or gel. Methyl cellulose is used as a buffer additive in
capillary electrophoresis to control
electroosmotic flow for improved separations.
Conservation of artworks Pure methyl cellulose is highly resistant to ageing and is therefore ideal for preserving art and cultural artefacts. It can be used to stabilise powdered paint layers and to bond paint layers, frames, wood, textiles, etc. in liquid, foam or mesh form. Not to be confused with hydroxypropyl cellulose (e.g. Klucel), which has lower ageing resistance and is much more plastic.
Special effects The slimy, gooey appearance of an appropriate preparation of methyl cellulose with water, in addition to its nontoxic, nonallergenic, and edible properties, makes it popular for use in special effects for
motion pictures and
television wherever vile slimes must be simulated. In the film
Ghostbusters, the gooey substance the supernatural entities used to "slime" the Ghostbusters was mostly a thick water solution of methyl cellulose. The
Aliens ooze and drip a great deal of methyl cellulose—especially the queen. Methyl cellulose has been used to safely simulate molten materials, as well. In several of the
Terminator films, it was
back-lit with colored gels and films to reproduce the heated glow of iron in the large pouring ladles used to transport the metal from the smelting ovens to the various molds and forms. Methyl cellulose was also a stand-in for the lava flows in
Los Angeles in
Volcano and on the volcanic surface of
Mustafar, in
Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith. == Chemistry ==