Carbopol® Polymers - Description

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


There are many different Carbopol® grades available with various polymerization solvents and viscosities. All Carbopol® grades are suitable for topical applications, while Carbopol 974P NF, Carbopol 971P NF, and Carbopol 71G NF are suitable for oral applications.

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

Carbopol® Polymers

More information about Carbopol® Polymers

  • Versatility
  • low usage level

How can we support you with Carbopol® Polymers?

I am looking for..