Silicone Based Fabric Softener Classification

Softener that can adsorb on the surface of textile fibers and smooth the surface of the fibers to change the feel and make the product more comfortable. Among the various auxiliaries of textiles, the variety and dosage of softeners are the first, and Silicone Based Fabric Softener are a kind of softener with superior performance, outstanding effect and wide application. These softeners are emulsions or microemulsions of polysiloxanes and their derivatives, which not only give the fabric a good softness and smoothness, but also impart gloss, abrasion resistance, elasticity, antifouling and wrinkle resistance to the surface of the nonwoven fabric. The non-woven fabric has a slippery style, and this kind of material is non-toxic, does not pollute the environment, and has low cost. It has been widely used in various industries. Silicone Softener products have been developed to date, and can be classified into three types: inactive, active and reactive group modification according to the chemical reactivity and fiber reactivity of the active silicone silicone emulsion.

1. Classification and performance characteristics of Silicone Softener

1.1 Inactive Silicone Softener

Such softeners are mainly dimethyl silicone oils, called polydimethylsiloxane (DMPS), referred to as methyl silicone oil. It can impart good softness and heat resistance to fabrics, and its emulsion products include Dow Corning 36, 37 and the like. Because the degree of polymerization is not high, it can not crosslink itself, and does not react to the fiber. The texture, fastness and elasticity of the finished fabric are not ideal, so it can not be directly used as a softener, and must be prepared under the action of an emulsifier. Silicone oil emulsion can be applied to fabrics to increase washfastness, such as DIC Silicon softener 500 from Japan and Perlie SI from Bayer. Such softeners are known as first generation silicone softeners.

1.2 Active Silicone Softener

Such softeners mainly replace the two ends of the dimethyl polysiloxane (DMPS) linear structure with a hydroxyl group (-OH) or a hydroxyl group to make it hydrophilic. An emulsion made of such a terminal hydroxyl-terminated dimethylpolysiloxane, a so-called silicone hydroxy emulsion. There are quite a variety of such products, which can be used as a softener alone, or can be cross-linked with other silicones to form a water-insoluble molecular film on the fibers, so the finished fabric has a certain waterproof and washable. The results are Dow Corning 1111, Ultratex FSA from Ciba Geigy, Switzerland. Such softeners are second generation silicone softeners. According to the different surfactants used in the preparation, it can be divided into several types of cationic, anionic, nonionic and complex ions. It can be selected according to the type of fabric.

1.3 Modified Silicone Softener

These softeners introduce other reactive groups on the silicone molecular chain, which have special functions to meet the needs of high-grade finishing of various fabrics, improve the antistatic, oil and hydrophilic properties of the fabric, and make the chemical fiber fabric have Many advantages of natural fabrics have become a third-generation silicone soft finishing agent with special functions.