Hydroxypropyl Starch Ether (HPS) serves several key functions. It is a white fine powder derived from natural plants, commonly abbreviated as HPS, and is widely used in industrial and construction fields. Its primary roles include:

1. Thickening and Rheological Control

In the construction sector, HPS significantly enhances anti-sagging and anti-slumping properties in materials such as tile adhesives, putty, and plastering mortar. It balances flowability through rheological characteristics, lowering viscosity during application for easier pumping and restoring viscosity at rest to prevent slumping. For instance, it addresses sagging issues in high-flow gypsum sprayed mechanically.

When combined with hydroxypropyl methylcellulose ether (HPMC), HPS reduces HPMC usage by about 30% while enhancing thickening and water retention effects.

2. Extended Open Time

Adding HPS to tile adhesives extends the open time from 20 minutes to 30 minutes while maintaining a bond strength of 0.5 MPa, meeting the needs of special tile adhesives.

3. Improved Construction Performance and Decorative Effects

HPS makes gypsum-based and cement-based mortars smoother on the surface, facilitating easier application and better final decorative results for thin-layer applications like putty.

4. Industrial Application Characteristics

Food Industry: As a thickener or stabilizer, HPS has superior salt tolerance, acid resistance, and low-temperature stability compared to regular starch, though it is not heat-resistant or shear-resistant (stability can be improved via cross-linking modification, such as hydroxypropyl distarch phosphate).

Other Industries: The white powder nature of HPS allows its potential use in areas requiring fine chemicals (such as pharmaceutical excipients), although specific cases were not provided in the search results.

Note: Hydroxypropyl starch ether differs from hydroxypropyl distarch phosphate (its cross-linked derivative), which has higher acid resistance, heat resistance, and shear resistance due to its cross-linked structure, making it more suitable for food processing.