What is the secret to soft and wrinkle-resistant clothes? It’s silicone emulsion. But it is not just for clothes. It can also be used in building materials, industrial production and other fields.This article will show you the different types, properties, and advantages of silicone emulsion, as well as its various applications. We hope it helps you choose the suitable product.
Silicone Emulsion
Silicone emulsion is a compound. Silicone oil is usually dispersed in water and a certain emulsifier is added to form a stable emulsion. Silicone emulsion is safe, thermal-stable, non-stick, water-repellent and antistatic. The viscosity of silicone emulsion can be adjusted by diluting it with different polymers to meet various application requirements.
Different Types of Silicone Emulsions
Generally, silicone emulsions can be divided into three categories according to different emulsifier types. That is anionic silicone emulsions, cationic silicone emulsions, and non-ionic silicone emulsions.
Anionic Silicone Emulsion
Anionic Silicone Emulsion is a Silicone Emulsion stabilized by adding positively charged emulsifiers. Mostly,cationic silicone emulsion is used in textiles. Some fibers carry a negative charge, such as wool, cotton, silk and other fabrics. Therefore, the addition of cationic silicone emulsion can quickly adsorb onto the surface of these fabrics.Fabric surface film can make the fabric feel more soft, smooth.Besides,it is also used in personal care, such as face cream, hair care products, etc.
Cationic Silicone Emulsion
Similarly, an anionic silicone emulsion is a silicone emulsion with a negatively charged emulsifier.In the textile industry, it is usually used in textiles after processing.Adding anionic silicone emulsion can be used together with other additives. It can make the fabric more elastic and stiffer. In addition, it has better compatibility and penetration, but its adsorption capacity is not strong.Therefore, it is also added to some facial cleansers and skin care products. It can achieve a moisturizing effect while being non-sticky and refreshing, and is also easier to wash off.
Non-ionic Silicone Emulsion
Nonionic silicone emulsifiers are added to non-charged emulsifiers. It is compatible with both cations and anions and can be used in almost all systems. Because this emulsion is uncharged, it is milder and less irritating.It has good chemical stability and good acid and alkali resistance.Stability makes the emulsion less stratified and more storable.
Properties of Silicone Emulsion
Lubricity
The lubricity of silicone emulsion results from the combination of silicon and oxygen. The combination of silicon and oxygen makes the molecular chain very soft and resilient.Therefore, when the protective layer of silicone emulsion exists in the two contact surfaces, it can reduce the sliding friction between the contact surface, and achieve the lubrication effect.
In addition, silicone emulsion provides lubrication without being greasy or viscous.For skin care products, it will become more smooth. It can be used in the textile industry to reduce the probability of fiber pilling. When you use silicone emulsion as a lubricant in the industrial field, it can protect molds, reduce wear and scratches.
Water Resistance
The reason why silicone emulsion has good water resistance lies in its dense molecular arrangement. This arrangement forms a tight protective layer on the material surface, preventing water from spreading out or penetrating, and can only form water droplets on the surface.Therefore, the use of silicone emulsion treated material has excellent hydrophobic.
When you use silicone emulsion on textiles, it forms a film with many pores on the surface.These pores allow moisture to evaporate inside the material, at the same time, to prevent external water penetrate, and then realizing the function of waterproof and breathable.
Heat stability
Silicone emulsion can withstand a wide range of application temperatures. Its thermal stability is excellent. Silicone emulsion will not decompose, become sticky or turn yellow in high-temperature environments, and it will not affect the appearance and usage of the product.Also in the low temperature environment, it can keep good flexibility and lubricity, will not harden and become brittle.
Therefore, if you use silicone emulsion in fabric, its softness and lubricity will not be lost by long-term high temperature environment.If you use it as a release agent or lubricant, its lubricating effect can also continue to work in long-term high temperature environment.
Low Surface Tension
The low surface tension of silicone emulsion is not only reflected in its good hydrophobicity. Silicone emulsion can be quickly and evenly spread on the surface of the material to form an extremely thin film.The film reduces friction, which makes it feel softer and smoother. What’s more, emulsions with low surface tension can easily penetrate into numerous tiny pores and porous materials, rather than merely remaining on the surface, thereby achieving a soft and waterproof effect from the inside out.
Advantages of Silicone Emulsion
Eco-friendliness
Silicone emulsion mainly disperses silicone oil in water, so it contains extremely low levels of volatile organic compounds(VOCs), or even none at all. It is not like many traditional chemical additives that contain a lot of additives. These additives volatilize to produce VOCs, which can cause air pollution and also cause a threat to human health.
In addition, silicone emulsion is a chemically inert emulsion.This means that it will not release harmful substances that contact with other substances. It can also direct contact with human skin and is very safe to use. It is often used in some cosmetics and skin care products.
Most importantly, silicone emulsion is very durable. Silicone emulsion can extend products’ service life, reduce the generation of waste and resource waste.However, due to its stable chemical properties, it degrades relatively slowly in environments, but it is non-toxic to creatures.
Food Safety
A silicone emulsion with stable chemical properties. Its molecular structure is stable. This means that it does not react with other substances. Even when used in the food industry, it will not react with food to release harmful substances. Even if humans accidentally consume food containing emulsion, it will not be absorbed by the human body and will not enter the blood or tissues. In other words, it is harmless to the human body.
Moreover,food-grade silicone emulsion has a huge difference with industrial silicone emulsion.
Food-grade silicone emulsion uses raw materials of higher purity and safe food-grade additives. The entire production process must be strictly controlled.Most importantly, silicone emulsion must be carried out on a dedicated production line.It would not be mixed with the production line for industrial emulsion to avoid contamination.
If you want to purchase food-grade silicone emulsion, it is best to buy emulsion that meets certification standards, such as FDA,ISO 21469, and GB 9685.
Cost-effective
Compared with other agents, the usage of silicone emulsion is much lower. This means that the cost of treating products with silicone emulsion is a little lower, but it can achieve the same lubricating and waterproof effects. Silicone emulsion with high solid content can be diluted according to your needs and used flexibly.
Most importantly, after using silicone emulsion, the service life of the product can be prolonged and its quality can be improved. Moreover, it is safer and causes any harm to the human body. So,if you want to realize the cost-effectiveness of silicone emulsion,you should understand three aspects including usage cost,final effect and use value for a long time.
High Producing Efficiency
The lubricity of silicone emulsion can reduce the friction of equipment or materials, allowing for higher operating speeds and increased production.If the emulsion is used as a release agent, it can quickly make the product out of the mold, shorten the release time and improve the operation efficiency.
Besides, the thermal stability of the emulsion can guarantee the smooth progress of some high-temperature processes and reduce the occurrence of defective products due to yellowing and decomposition at high temperatures. If the emulsion is used as a coating, it can cure and form a film in a shorter time, reducing the time for curing.
Silicone emulsion is stable, easy to use and storage resistant. It provides the same usage effect during the production and application process. In other words, products that have used emulsion have consistent softness and water resistance, raising the unified standard for product quality.
The emulsion is easy to clean.This makes the maintenance and cleaning of the equipment more simple and convenient, reduces the cost of cleaning and maintenance of the equipment, and saves time.
Applications of Silicone Emulsions
Architectural Coatings
Silicone emulsion offers good penetration, water resistance, and breathability, making it widely used in construction. It is mainly applied by spraying on surfaces such as concrete and plasterboard, or used as an additive in concrete.
When sprayed on concrete, the emulsion penetrates into the material and forms a water-repellent protective film after curing. This helps prevent rainwater from seeping in and reduces moisture inside the material. In cold regions, silicone emulsion can help reduce wall cracking. When used as an additive, it gives the overall waterproofing of the material, protecting it from moisture damage and extending its service life.
Silicone emulsion is also suitable for historic building preservation. Its excellent breathability and water resistance prevent moisture from accumulating inside walls.This can avoid problems such as blistering, mold, and weathering.
Release Agents
When using silicone emulsion as a mold release agent, it is essential to ensure that the mold surface is absolutely clean.This is the key step in the uniform film. Silicone emulsion also needs to find an appropriate dilution ratio based on your actual application. Generally, the dilution ratio is between 1:10 and 1:50.The diluted emulsion can form a film on the surface of the mold, which can also reduce the cost of use. The commonly used film-forming methods include spraying, brushing and rubbing.Wait until the emulsion is completely dry before it can be used for production.
Using silicone emulsion as a mold release agent will not corrode the mold and will not affect the appearance or precision of the product. And it is really convenient to clean.It is less harmful to workers and more environmentally friendly.
Textile Industry and Leather Industry
Silicone emulsion usually can reduce the friction between fibers and decrease the phenomenon of pilling.It can change the fabric touch and make it softer and smoother.Some emulsions can improve the elasticity of fibers, making clothes more wrinkle-resistant and better organized.
Silicone emulsion can also be used with other additives to make the product bring a variety of functions. When silicone emulsion is used together with water repellent, it can make clothes more waterproof. When the fabric contacts with water, water droplets will roll off. Modified silicone emulsion can reduce the water resistance of the product. For instance, some towels, while keeping a soft touch, are highly hygroscopic and dry very quickly.
Silicone emulsion in the leather industry is mainly used to improve the feel. Emulsion can make leather softer and more elastic from the inside out.In addition, it can also make the leather feel more smooth, delicate, improve the grade of leather.Depending on the use needs, silicone emulsion can also achieve different gloss effects. Good hydrophobicity also makes leather more water-resistant and stain-resistant.
Consumer Goods
Silicone emulsion is contained in the common shampoos, face creams and lotions. Like hair care products, silicone emulsion can make hair smoother, less prone to tangling, frizz and static electricity.
When applied to face creams, different types of emulsions can provide different feelings of use. Cationic silicone emulsion is more moisturizing and thick. Anionic emulsions are fresher and less greasy. Most sunscreens also contain it to prevent sweat.
In daily life, soft and fluffy items such as bed sheets and towels all contain it.Silicone emulsion can be used in various products, improving the texture of the product, to achieve different product functions.
Conclusion
Silicone emulsion is useful in many fields because it is breathable, water-resistant, and heat-stable. It can improve the feel of products and give them more functions. Using silicone emulsion also helps lower production costs and increase efficiency. If you want to buy silicone emulsion or have any questions, feel free to contact us. We are happy to help.
FAQ
What factors influence prices?
Product cost, technical difficulty, brand and other factors affect the price of emulsion. The factor that directly affects the price of silicone emulsion lies in its solid content.A higher solid content means less water, which can be diluted by a higher factor, and therefore a higher unit price.
In addition, the prices of modified emulsions vary greatly. Generally, emulsions with higher technical difficulty tend to have higher costs. Raw materials and emulsifiers of different purity and qualities can lead to significant price differences among various silicone emulsions. Similarly, the price of the emulsion varies for different production standards, like food grade and industrial grade silicone emulsions.
What are the packaging and storage requirements?
When packaging emulsion, it is advisable to use plastic buckets as much as possible.PP and HDPE materials are the preferred choice. To ensure good sealing of the container, prevent water evaporation and at the same time keep impurities from entering.
The storage environment should choose a cool and dry environment, avoiding direct sunlight or high temperature. Long-term high-temperature environments affect the stability of emulsions and accelerate their aging. It is also necessary to prevent the emulsion from freezing at low temperatures. Freezing can cause the emulsion to stratify, solidify, and lead to the scrapping of the product. The product should also be sealed after use to prevent water evaporation and contamination.
Will the use of silicone emulsion affect the product’s color and further processing?
There might be these problems. But these problems can usually be predicted and avoided. Some types of silicone emulsions may oxidize and turn yellow under ultraviolet light. However, usually choosing a silicone emulsion with low yellowing can avoid this problem. Silicone emulsion may also cause poor adhesion,low moisture absorption and poor electrical conductivity. Usually, cross-linkable and modifiable silicone emulsions can avoid these problems. Before large-scale production, you can conduct small-batch experiments to test the product’s effectiveness. At the same time, it is also necessary to strictly control the dosage.
