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Carbopol® Polymer Products

Since their creation as the first commercial carbomers over 50 years ago, Lubrizol’s Carbopol® polymers have continued to be the highest quality carbomers on the market. Utilized in pharmaceutical products as rheology modifiers, tablet binders, suspension stabilizers, extended release polymers, mucoadhesive aids, and bioavailability enhancers, Carbopol polymers are well known for their versatility and ease of use as pharmaceutical excipients. Products within the Carbopol polymer family are chemically similar in that they are all high molecular weight, crosslinked polyacrylic acid polymers. However, these gel forming polymers differ by their chemical crosslinking and can be grouped into the following categories.
  • Carbopol homopolymers: acrylic acid crosslinked with allyl sucrose or allyl pentaerythritol
  • Carbopol copolymers: acrylic acid and C10-C30 alkyl acrylate crosslinked with allyl pentaerythritol
  • Carbopol interpolymers: carbomer homopolymer or copolymer that contains a block copolymer of polyethylene glycol and a long chain alkyl acid ester
 
We have made numerous enhancements to the Carbopol polymer family over time to help address regulatory demands, increase product robustness, and improve product handling, including, when mixing or processing Carbopol, ease of polymer dispersion to cut down on processing time. As part of these enhancements, our polyacrylic acid polymers are synthesized to meet the highest standards of safety. “Traditional” carbomers are synthesized in benzene, a substance that is increasingly restricted for use in pharmaceutical excipient applications. Our “toxicologically preferred” carbomers are synthesized in either ethyl acetate or a cosolvent mixture of ethyl acetate and cyclohexane, which are the products we now recommend for all new drug development projects.
 
In addition to our traditional excipients, LLS Health has added newer innovations to the Carbopol family in recent years, such as:
  • Carbopol Ultrez polymers provide self-wetting capabilities for polymer dispersion that does not require mixing, enabling greater ease of use in formulating and processing.
  • Carbopol 71G NF is the only granular carbomer available for direct compression formulations, providing increased versatility in the manufacture of oral solid dose products
  • Carbopol ETD 2020 NF is designed to provide increased electrolyte tolerance in drug formulations.

Product Overview and Recommendations

Carbopol Polymer Polymerization Solvent Carbomer Product Type Viscosity, cP
(0.5 wt% at pH 7.5)
71G NF  Ethyl Acetate Homopolymer 4,000 - 11,000
971P NF   Ethyl Acetate Homopolymer  4,000 - 11,000
974P NF  Ethyl Acetate Homopolymer  29,400 - 39,400
980 NF  Cosolvent1 Homopolymer  40,000 - 60,000
981 NF  Cosolvent1 Homopolymer  4,000 - 10,000
5984 EP  Cosolvent1 Homopolymer 30,500 - 39,400
ETD 2020 NF  Cosolvent1 Interpolymer 47,000 - 77,0002
Ultrez 10 NF  Cosolvent1  Interpolymer 45,000 - 65,000
934 NF  Benzene  Homopolymer 30,500 - 39,400
934P NF  Benzene  Homopolymer  29,400 - 39,400
940 NF  Benzene  Homopolymer  40,000 - 60,000
941 NF  Benzene  Homopolymer  4,000 - 10,000
1342 NF   Benzene  Copolymer 9,500 - 26,5002

1 Cosolvent system made using cyclohexane and ethyl acetate
2 1.0 wt%

  • Carbopol homopolyers are polymers of acrylic acid crosslinked with allyl sucrose or allyl pentaerythritol
  • Carbopol copolymers are polymers of acrylic acid and C10-C30 alkyl acrylate crosslinked with allyl pentaerythritol
  • Carbopol interpolymers are a carbomer homopolymer or copolymer that contains a block copolymer of polyethylene glycol and a long chain alkyl acid ester

Carbopol Products for Oral Pharmaceutical Applications

Carbopol Polymer Suspensions Bioadhesive Formulations Roller-Compaction Solid Dosage
Wet Granulation		 Direct Compression
71G NF
971P NF
974P NF
934P NF

Carbopol and Pemulen™ Polymers for Topical Applications

Comparison Overview of Carbopol and Pemulen Polymers for Topical Applications
Self Wetting Polymers Ultrez 10 NF



Ethyl Acetate Polymers 974P NF 971P NF
Cosolvent Polymers 5984 EP 980 NF 981 NF
TR-1 NF,
TR-2 NF 1,
ETD 2020 NF

Traditional Polymers2 934 NF,
934P NF 		940 NF 941 NF 1342 NF
Properties in a Formulated Application
Flow Characteristics Short Short Short Very Short Long Long
Relative Viscosity High High High Very High Low Medium
Suspending Ability
(yield value)		 High High High High High High
Mucilage Clarity High Medium Medium High High High
Relative Ion Tolerance Low Low Low Low Medium High
Relative Shear Tolerance3 Medium Medium High High Low Low
Applications
Clear Gels
Hydroalcoholic Gels
Lotions
Creams
Surfactants Systems
High Electrolyte Systems

1 Pemulen Polymers (Pemulen TR-1 NF and TR-2 NF). All other products noted in the table belong to the Carbopol polymer product family.
2 Traditional polymers are synthesized in benzene. The Carbomers Monograph in the European Pharmacopeia stipulates that benzene is limited to 2 ppm.
3 Prolonged exposure to high shear should be avoided for all carbomers.

Additionally, it may be desirable to substitute a benzene polymerized carbomer with a non-benzene polymerized carbomer in a pharmaceutical formulation. The following table shows recommended substitutes for the benzene grade Carbopol products based on viscosity criteria. The substitute products are polymerized in either ethyl acetate or a cosolvent mixture of ethyl acetate and cyclohexane. If a substitution is made in a pharmaceutical formulation, it is recommended that key performance properties be ascertained and regulatory considerations be taken into account. Depending on the desired dosage requirements, other Carbopol polymers may be suitable alternatives.

Benzene Grade Carbopol Polymer Recommended Non-Benzene Carbopol or Pemulen Polymers
Carbopol® 934 NF polymer Carbopol® 974P NF polymer and Carbopol® 5984 EP polymer
Carbopol® 934P NF polymer  Carbopol® 974P NF polymer and Carbopol® 5984 EP polymer
Carbopol® 940 NF polymer Carbopol® 980 NF polymer
Carbopol® 941 NF polymer Carbopol® 971P NF polymer and Carbopol® 981 NF polymer
Carbopol® 1342 NF polymer Pemulen™ TR-1 NF polymer