Application cases of nanocellulose's suspension force in shower gel products in the field of daily chemicals

1. Application background

With the upgrading of daily chemical product consumption, shower gel has gradually developed from a single cleaning function to a high-quality appearance, stable system structure and high-quality use experience . Especially in shower gel products containing pearlescent powder, functional particles, plant particles, and scrub factors , how to achieve long-term stable suspension while ensuring fluidity and skin feel has become a key problem in formulation engineering.

As a high-performance material with natural origin and designable structure, nanocellulose has shown significant advantages in daily chemical shower gel suspension systems due to its unique three-dimensional network structure and excellent rheological control capabilities .

What is nanocellulose？

Cellulose nanofibers ( CNF) are ultrafine cellulose fibers made from wood. Wood pulp (papermaking raw material) produced through traditional papermaking technology is relaxed to the nanometer level. This is a new material derived from biomass, also known as nanocellulose.

CNF is as thin as a few nanometers, is considered transparent, has unique viscous properties, is light and strong, and has less deformation due to temperature changes, and is used in many fields.

● Nano = one millionth of the length of 1 millimeter

Process of producing nanocellulose CNF from wood pulp

1. The wood is crushed into small pieces and processed into wood chips (about 5cm wide and about 1cm thick)

2. Extract fiber from wood chips and make pulp in paper mill

3. The pulp is chemically treated to make it thinner and easier to loosen (chemical modification).

4. Apply high pressure to loosen wood fibers (pulp)

We chemically treat the pulp produced in the mill and introduce ionic functional groups into the cellulose, which forms wood fibers. The electrostatic repulsion of this functional group promotes nanoscale defibrillation of fibers while ensuring stable diffusion of elongated fibers in the range of a few nanometers (a few nanometers).

Fibers that are as thin as a few nanometers are thinner than the wavelength of visible light (400 nanometers to 700 nanometers), so they pass the light and become transparent.

2. Common problems with traditional suspension systems

In traditional shower gel formulations, carbomers, acrylic polymers or polymer colloids are often relied upon to achieve thickening and stabilization, but in practical applications there are still the following shortcomings:

1. Suspended particles are prone to sedimentation and stratification during storage.

2. The appearance will be uneven after prolonged standing time and needs to be shaken before use.

3. It is difficult to balance thickening and suspension, and the system stability window is narrow.

4. The structure recovers slowly after shearing, affecting the appearance consistency.

These problems not only affect the appearance of the product, but also directly affect the consumer experience and brand image.

Comparison of real photos between left and right - traditional formula vs nanocellulose formula

3. Analysis of suspension mechanism of nanocellulose

Nanocellulose is composed of fiber units with a diameter of nanometers and a length of microns. In an aqueous system, it can self-assemble to form a stable three-dimensional network structure through hydrogen bonding and physical entanglement.。

This structure plays the following key roles in the shower gel system:

Construct a continuous support network to restrict the free flow of the aqueous phase

Evenly lifts insoluble particles and significantly reduces sedimentation rate

Provide structural viscosity instead of simply increasing the viscosity of the system

From a formulation engineering perspective, nanocellulose is essentially a ' structural suspending agent ' rather than a thickener in the traditional sense.

( Schematic diagram of the three-dimensional network structure of nanocellulose )

4. Practical application case display

1. Application system description

Product type: Pearlescent moisturizing shower gel

System composition: surfactant system + moisturizer + pearlescent powder/functional particles

Nanocellulose addition amount: 0.2–0.5% (w/w)

2. Comparison of suspension effects

Comparison projects	No nanocellulose added	Add nanocellulose
Let stand for 7 days	Subsidence occurs	Particles are evenly suspended
Let stand for 30 days	obvious stratification	The system is stable without stratification
Appearance consistency	差	优
Pour out state	Uneven distribution of particles	Consistent particle distribution

Comparison of real photos after 7 days of resting - traditional formula vs nanocellulose formula Comparison of real photos after 30 days of resting - traditional formula vs nanocellulose formula

5. Rheological properties and user experience advantages

Nanocellulose exhibits typical pseudoplastic rheological characteristics in shower gel systems :

Forms a stable structure when left standing to effectively support suspended particles

The viscosity decreases during use or extrusion, making the product easy to squeeze out and spread.

After shearing, the structure quickly recovers and the appearance remains consistent.

In actual use, the product behaves as:

No stringing or clumping

Smooth and refreshing to the touch

No slipperiness or stickiness after rinsing

This allows nanocellulose to improve the stability of the system without sacrificing consumers' skin experience.

6. Comprehensive value to the development of daily chemical products

1. Formula and process value

Natural source, can be used in 'Clean Formula' and 'Natural Formula' systems

Improve the stability of the suspension system and reduce the difficulty of formula adjustment

Strong adaptability to pH and good system compatibility

2. Product and brand value

Improve product appearance and consistency

Reduce stratification risks during storage and transportation

Enhance consumers’ intuitive understanding of product quality

7. Application summary

The application of nanocellulose in the shower gel suspension system not only solves the problem of easy sedimentation of functional particles, but also achieves multiple improvements in appearance stability, usage experience and formula safety by building a stable three-dimensional structural network.

For daily chemical brands that pursue high quality and differentiation, nanocellulose is becoming an important functional material choice for the new generation of shower gel suspension systems.

Actual pictures of the suspension effect of shower gel. Actual pictures of the suspension effect of shower gel. Actual pictures of the suspension effect of shower gel.

Inquiry about nanocellulose

Nanjing Tianlu Nanotechnology Co., Ltd. ，Marketing Department , Nanocellulose Promotion Office

Address: Room 301, Building 2, Phase 3, No. 1, Yuepu Yunchuang Center, No. 6 Shuige Road, Jiangning District

Telephone:18061643560