Can Exilva be used with Quaternary ammonium compounds?

Quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs) are a group of cationic antimicrobials used widely for numerous industrial and pharmaceutical purposes. They are disinfectant chemicals commonly used in disinfectant wipes, sprays and household cleaners. 

They are currently very popular as they allow products to claim to be antibacterial and are part of many EPA listed products with emerging viral pathogens and human coronavirus (Covid-19) claims.

How to work with those charged materials? How can one control stability and flow?

Exilva is a bio-based microfibrillated cellulose. It is a non-soluble fibrillar material that can be used as a structuring agent for many different formulation types and environments.

The fact that Exilva is not a soluble material, but consists of an entangled physical network enables its use to structure and control rheology of charged systems. Exilva, unlike charged polymers, will not precipitate in formulations with high ionic strength or with different charged components.

Exilva is compatible with different types of surfactants including anionic and cationic surfactants. 

It has also been reported that Exilva is very compatible with high ionic systems and can be used to structure different salts. 

Using Exilva at the right dosage generally enables improving the stability of formulations over time as well as making those formulations (if desired) sprayable with a non-dripping effect. 

Can one use Exilva to structure and thicken Quaternary ammonium compounds?

The above arguments would all direct us to say "yes".

Laboratory testing has also shown that it is possible to prepare a homogeneous and stable formulation containing Didecyldimethylammonium chloride (DDAC), a quaternary ammonium compound and Exilva MFC at different concentrations.  

The resulting formulations are opaque, stable over time and sprayable with a non-dripping effect.  

Contact us to learn more about the formulation details as well as incorporation recommendations, or get your free sample now;