Carbomer 940 is a polyvinyl carboxy polymer used as a viscosityenhancer, gelling agent, or suspension agent. Carbomer 940 is cross linked with ethers of , and is used primarily in systems where sparkling clarity or a sharp viscosity response is required. Carbomer 940 will impart unbelievalbe softness and glide,comparable to the glycols, when added to your formulations. Carbomer 940 can be used to thicken surfactant systems, and to create suspension products and is excellent when you need to suspend heavy particles. Viscosity actually has nothing to do with the ability of a product to suspend items such as jojoba beads or capispheres. For instance, a shower gel as thick as jello will allow the beads to either sink or rise …while a water thin product that contains Carbomer can suspend ball bearings. This is because the Carbomer forms a “Network” that suspends the beads very effectively. Carbomer 940 can also be used to create gel products very easily and cost effectively and Carbomer viscosity stands up to the incorporation of different fragrance and essential oils much better than standard surfactant thickeners. When surfactant thickeners are used, fragrance and essential oils can get into the middle of the micellar structure of the gel formed and interfere with it to have a dramatic effect on surfactant systems.
By contrast, the network created by Carbomer 940 is not influenced in this way.