Ethyl cellulose
Encyclopedia
Ethyl cellulose is a derivative of cellulose
in which some of the hydroxyl groups on the repeating glucose
units are converted into ethyl
ether
groups. The number of ethyl groups can vary depending on the manufacture.
It is mainly used as a thin-film coating material.
Ethyl cellulose is used as a food additive as an emulsifier (E462).
Cellulose
Cellulose is an organic compound with the formula , a polysaccharide consisting of a linear chain of several hundred to over ten thousand β linked D-glucose units....
in which some of the hydroxyl groups on the repeating glucose
Glucose
Glucose is a simple sugar and an important carbohydrate in biology. Cells use it as the primary source of energy and a metabolic intermediate...
units are converted into ethyl
Ethyl group
In chemistry, an ethyl group is an alkyl substituent derived from ethane . It has the formula -C2H5 and is very often abbreviated -Et.Ethylation is the formation of a compound by introduction of the ethyl functional group, C2H5....
ether
Ether
Ethers are a class of organic compounds that contain an ether group — an oxygen atom connected to two alkyl or aryl groups — of general formula R–O–R'. A typical example is the solvent and anesthetic diethyl ether, commonly referred to simply as "ether"...
groups. The number of ethyl groups can vary depending on the manufacture.
It is mainly used as a thin-film coating material.
Ethyl cellulose is used as a food additive as an emulsifier (E462).