At a Glance
Material Family
Specialty Additives
Record Type
UVCB
Primary Role
Thickening / Rheology · Film Formation
Functional Roles
Industries Served
Applications & Use Cases
- ▸ Gelling and solidifying agent for microbiology culture media, where agar (e.g. bacteriological-grade Bacto-type powder) sets nutrient broths into firm plates and slants that resist enzymatic digestion by most microorganisms.
- ▸ Purified agarose fraction is cast into gels for DNA, RNA, and protein electrophoresis, providing a sieving matrix for molecular-biology and biotech separation workflows.
- ▸ Thermo-reversible thickener and gelling hydrocolloid in food and beverage manufacturing for confectionery, jellies, dairy desserts, and bakery fillings (vegan gelatin alternative).
- ▸ Texturizing and film-forming agent in cosmetics and personal-care formulations such as creams, lotions, masks, and gel sticks where it stabilizes emulsions and controls rheology.
- ▸ Reversible gelling base for dental impression materials and as a binder/stabilizer in specialty industrial and laboratory applications requiring a high-melt, low-set hydrogel.
Physical Properties
Appearance
off-white to pale-yellow powder, flakes, or strips (typical)
Odor
odorless to faint marine odor (typical)
Solubility Cold Water
insoluble in cold water (typical)
Solubility Hot Water
soluble in boiling water, forming a viscous solution (typical)
Gelling Temperature
32-43 C (typical)
Melting Temperature
85-95 C gel melt (typical)
Bulk Density
0.4-0.7 g/cm3 (typical)
pH 1% Solution
6-8 (typical)
Safety & Handling
Full SDS available on request
A grade-specific Safety Data Sheet (SDS) — with the complete hazard classification, handling precautions, and transport information — is supplied with every shipment and available on request. Confirm all safety and regulatory details against the SDS for your specific grade.
Request SDS →
Chemical Identity
CAS Number
9002-18-0
PubChem CID
Synonyms & Trade Names
Full Description
Regulatory & registration requirements
- TSCA (US):
- REACH (EU): Not determined from public registry
- EC number: 232-658-1
TSCA Inventory flag XU: a substance exempt from reporting under the Chemical Data Reporting Rule (40 CFR 711) (EPA flag legend).
Source: EPA TSCA Inventory (July 2025 release) · ECHA CHEM — retrieved 2026-07-12
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Disclaimer. Information on this page — including properties, identifiers, hazard, transport (DOT/UN) and tariff (HS) classifications, and applications — is provided for general reference and is compiled from authoritative public sources (e.g. PubChem/ECHA, 49 CFR 172.101, the Harmonized Tariff Schedule). Values are typical and are not a guaranteed specification; the Certificate of Analysis (CoA) for the lot purchased governs. Products are sold for industrial and professional use only. Nothing here is a medical, health, or efficacy claim or advice. Always consult the current Safety Data Sheet (SDS) before handling, storage, transport or disposal, and confirm regulatory status, classification and suitability for your application and jurisdiction. Hazard, transport and tariff classifications must be verified for your specific shipment. RawSource makes no warranty, express or implied, and assumes no liability for use of this information. Trademarks. Third-party trademarks and brand names are the property of their respective owners; any reference is nominative — used only to identify a comparable product — and does not imply affiliation with, sponsorship by, or endorsement by the trademark owner.