Introduction to Amino Silicone Oil

Cited from: https://pixabay.com/photos/splashing-splash-aqua-water-165192/

Cover page cited from: https://pixabay.com/photos/splash-water-droplet-water-drop-164963/

Amino silicone oil is a basic component specially used in textile softening finishing agent. It has the best adsorption, compatibility and easy emulsification. Using mixer or homogenizer, amino silicone oil can be easily emulsified into stable and transparent microemulsion by appropriate surfactant. It can be used alone or combined with other organosilicon or organic softeners to form a special softening finishing agent, which is suitable for the softening finishing of various textiles. 

Overview of Amino Silicone Oil Market

Organic polysiloxane, as a fabric softener, began in the 20th century, and has experienced the development process from mainly polydimethylsiloxane to modified polysiloxane silicone compound. In the early 1950s, Dow Corning found that hydrogen containing polysiloxane and polydimethylsiloxane were used together, which not only had waterproof effect but also felt soft. This dimethyl silicone oil is the first generation silicone fabric softener. By the 1960s, Dow Corning Company had successively applied for hydroxyl silicone oil patents and published reports on lotion polymerization and the application of hydroxyl lotion in fabric finishing, both of which belong to the second generation of silicone fabric softener. Due to the functional simplicity of the second generation of softeners and the problems of easy breaking of emulsion and bleaching oil, the third generation of silicone softeners, namely modified silicone softeners, were produced to meet the requirements of the times. Amino, epoxy, polyether, hydroxyl and other groups were introduced through the side chain to greatly improve the washing resistance, shrink resistance, hydrophobicity, etc. of the fabric.

Amino silicone oil is a typical representative of the third generation of silicone softener. The active group of amino silicone oil can combine more strongly with natural fibers, chemical fibers and blended fabrics. At the same time, due to the defects of amino silicone oil such as yellowing, increasing the hydrophobicity of fabrics, and uneven distribution of amino groups, the research on the modification of amino silicone oil has been promoted. One after another, amino silicone oil with reactive multifunctional groups distributed at the side chains and ends and easy to emulsify has emerged, as well as amino block copolymer formed by modified polysiloxane and other polymers.

Application Scope of Amino Silicone Oil

Amino silicone oil has strong amino polarity, high reactivity, adsorption, compatibility and easy emulsification. It is widely used as fiber finishing agent, resin modifier, paint additive, brightener and cosmetic additive.

1.     Amino silicone oil used as textile fiber finishing agent.

The amino group in the amino silicone oil molecule can interact with the hydroxyl group and carboxyl group on the fiber surface to form a very firm orientation and adsorption with the fiber, reducing the friction coefficient between fibers and making the fiber products comfortable to wear. Amino silicone oil is a very important softener for natural fibers such as cotton, linen, silk, wool textiles and synthetic fibers such as polyester, nylon, polyacrylonitrile, etc. It is an indispensable raw material for high added value and high functionality of fiber products.

2.     Amino silicone oil can be used as polymer modifier.

The functional group reaction of amino silicone oil and organic polymer introduces siloxane into the organic polymer, which endows the polymer with new characteristics. For example, amino silicone oil can be used as the monomer of organic polymer synthesis or melt mixed with polymer to modify the resin. There are polyamide, polyimide, polyurethane, polyester and other thermoplastic resins and epoxy, phenolic and other thermosetting resins. For example, aromatic tetracarboxylic acids_ Anhydride_ During the condensation of amino compounds, the silicone modified polyimide prepared by adding modified silicone oil with aminopropyl groups at both ends is widely used as a protective film for semiconductors because of the introduction of siloxane links in its molecules, which has excellent adhesion to semiconductor contacts, glass and other substrates. The oxygen ring resin plastic packaging materials used for integrated circuits often lead to cracking of the packaging resin, passivation of the silicon wafer surface, film cracking and interface breaking due to its internal stress. If the silicon oil and epoxy resin with both ends modified by amino propyl group are added for comprehensive modification, the flexibility, toughness and yield of the plastic packaging materials can be improved, and the internal stress can be reduced. The silicone modified polyamide can significantly improve the low-temperature impact strength without affecting the coating property of the product.

3.     Amino silicone oil as paint additive.

Amino silicone oil as paint additive can effectively prevent uneven color and wrinkle, and increase the brightness. The polyurethane coating used for decorative panels has low film hardness, which is easy to bond when stacked together and easy to damage when pulled apart.

Development History of Amino Silicone Oil

The development history of silicone softener can be traced back to the 1940s. As early as 1940, people tried to dip the fabric with dimethyldichlorosilane in order to obtain some waterproof effect. However, during the use of dimethyldichlorosilane, hydrogen chloride gas harmful to human body and fabric will be released. In 1945, people used alkaline solution of sodium methylsilanol to soak the fabric again. It was found that the fabric had good waterproof effect after being treated with weak acid and dried at 110 ° C~120 ° C, but the high alkaline immersion solution had a bad effect on the fabric. Therefore, neither of the above two technologies has been adopted by the textile industry. After the emergence of hydrogen containing silicone oil in the 1950s, the researchers of Dow Corning Company finished the fabric with hydrogen containing silicone oil lotion and achieved good waterproof effect. However, the waterproof film formed by hydrogen containing silicone oil on the fabric surface is hard, brittle and easy to fall off. When methyl silicone emulsion and hydrogen containing silicone emulsion are added, the waterproof film is soft and feels good. This is a practical discovery, which has aroused people's interest in the study of silicone as a fabric softener. The development of polysiloxane in the past 50 years, especially the emergence of reactive and functional polysiloxane, has made silicone softeners colorful and widely used in fiber and fabric softening finishing, spinning oil, hair conditioner, household detergent and other aspects.

Summary

Amino silicone oil is now one of the most important silicone oil in the world. It is widely used in different industry and thus has a bright future in organic silicone oil industry and the corresponding market.