Carbopol® Polymers

Product Overview and Recommendations 

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

• Due to regulatory restrictions on the use of benzene in pharmaceutical formulations, Lubrizol recommends that carbomers polymerized in either ethyl acetate or a cosolvent mixture of ethyl acetate and cyclohexane be used for all new drug development projects.

• 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.