Categories of silicone softener

Softener is a substance to increase the softness of the material. Softening agent with excellent properties also make fiber has special touch to improve the quality and added value. According to main active ingredient, industrially used softener can be classified into oils, surfactant, reaction and polymer type. In the series of polymer type softening agent, organic silicon softening agent has best performance and maximum output.





Silicone softener is silicone polymers and their alkyl derivatives. Oxygen atoms of silicon-oxygen bond adsorbed on the fiber surface and make hydrophobic methyl arranged to cover the fiber surface. Because of bond angle of silicon oxygen bond can change and produce telescopic under external force. Therefore, fabrics processed by silicone softener will form a layer tough water repellent and can telescopic of continuous film on the surface. It makes fabric has soft and smooth of feel, as well as good breathable, surface gloss and wearing comfortable.

Silicone softener can be divided into three categories according to its structure, namely non-reactive organic silicon softening agent, reactive organic silicon softening agent and modified silicone softeners.

Non-reactive organic silicon softening agent
This is the first use of silicone called poly dimethyl siloxane (DMPS). Because of its not high polymerization and itself cannot be cross-linked. It does not react to fiber, the touch, stretch and elasticity of finishing fabric are not ideal. So it cannot be used directly as a softening agent. And it must be under the effect of emulsifier to be prepared into silicone oil emulsion and then applied to fabric.

Reactive silicone softener
Replace the ends of the linear structure of dimethyl polysiloxane (DMPS) by hydroxyl (-OH), so that it has a certain degree of hydrophilicity. This hydroxyl-terminated head of Dimethyl polysiloxane emulsion is called the silicone hydroxy lotion. Such many kinds of products can be used alone as a softener. It can tie with other silicone to form crosslinking reaction and form membrane which is insoluble in water molecules in fiber. So after finishing fabric has some washable and water resistant.

Modified silicone softeners
A reactive group of organic silicon is modified organic silicon. It is a reactive organic silicon backbone is replaced by a more lively group, which is replaced by-OH,-CH2CH2O-,-CONH2,-COOCH3. It can further enhance the activity of softener and help fabric to get soft, wrinkle, anti-pilling, hydrophilic and antistatic effects. OKCHEM blog updates knowledge and information about chemicals and precise datas of China chemicals, if you have interest, please visit OKCHEM.COM or read more here.