Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer

Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer (CAS 176429-87-1) is a hydrophobically modified, crosslinked copolymer of acrylic acid and long-chain (C10-30) alkyl acrylates that thickens water and emulsions AND can emulsify oils on its own. The water-loving acrylic-acid backbone gives it carbomer-style gelling and suspension, while the oil-loving C10-30 alkyl side chains anchor into the oil phase — so it works as both a rheology modifier and a primary oil-in-water (O/W) emulsifier. It is the chemistry behind grades comparable to Lubrizol’s Carbopol and Pemulen polymers, supplied here as a generic INCI-identity material for bulk personal-care and industrial formulation.

Applications

Formulators reach for this crosspolymer when they need structure and emulsion stability from a single, salt-tolerant polymer:

• O/W emulsions without a separate emulsifier — the C10-30 alkyl chains partition into the oil droplet while the neutralized acrylic backbone swells in water, letting it stabilize (and at primary-emulsifier grades, build) emulsions with little or no conventional surfactant.
• Clear gels and serums — neutralized in water it forms a transparent, high-clarity gel that suspends actives, pigments, and oil droplets without clouding.
• Lotions, creams, and sunscreens — delivers a light, non-tacky skin feel and holds emulsions stable across temperature swings and over shelf life.
• Suspending actives and exfoliants — the elastic gel network keeps beads, microcapsules, silicones, exfoliant particles, and insoluble actives evenly dispersed instead of settling.
• Surfactant and high-electrolyte systems — its higher electrolyte and surfactant tolerance (versus a plain carbomer) suits cleansers, actives-loaded systems, and formulas with salts or botanicals.
• Sprayable and low-viscosity systems — at low use levels it builds just enough yield value to suspend solids while staying pumpable or sprayable.

How it compares to a standard carbomer

Both are crosslinked acrylic-acid thickeners that need neutralizing, but the C10-30 alkyl modification changes what this crosspolymer can do:

General formulation characteristics. Confirm exact performance against your chosen grade’s technical data sheet and your own bench trials.

In short, every grade of this crosspolymer can do what a carbomer does (gel and suspend), and the primary-emulsifier grades add the ability to build an O/W emulsion. Carbomer cannot emulsify oils on its own.

How to use: neutralization and pH

This polymer ships in a coiled, low-viscosity acidic state and only develops viscosity once it is neutralized. Disperse the powder into water (or pre-disperse the supplied dispersion) under shear, let it fully hydrate, then neutralize with a base — commonly sodium hydroxide (NaOH) or triethanolamine (TEA) — to uncoil and swell the chains into a gel. Optimal thickening and clarity typically land around pH 5.5–7.0; under- or over-neutralizing reduces yield value. Because it is anionic, add electrolytes and strong cations carefully and validate viscosity on the bench — high ionic strength can still thin the gel even though this grade tolerates more salt than a plain carbomer.

Forms and grades

Supplied as a fine powder or a pre-neutralizable liquid dispersion, in thickening-focused and primary-emulsifier grades, under the generic INCI identity (comparable in chemistry to Lubrizol’s Carbopol and Pemulen grades). Tell us the performance profile you need — thickener vs. emulsifier, clarity, electrolyte tolerance — and we will match a grade and source it.

Handling and documentation

Handle as a fine acrylic polymer powder with appropriate dust control and PPE. The Safety Data Sheet (SDS) governs all handling, storage, hazard, and transport information; a Certificate of Analysis (CoA) confirms lot identity and is provided on shipment. Always defer to the current SDS and CoA over any summary on this page.

Request a bulk quote

RawSource supplies Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer in bulk — bags, drums, IBCs/totes, and pallet to container quantities — for personal-care and industrial formulators and purchasing teams. Send your INCI/grade, target performance, volume, and destination for a bulk RFQ, with SDS and CoA on shipment.

Carbopol® and Pemulen™ are trademarks of The Lubrizol Corporation. RawSource is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Lubrizol. These names are used only nominatively to describe the comparable generic INCI chemistry; RawSource supplies material by its INCI identity, not under any brand.