The Application of Silicone Surfactants

by Application of Green Reagents in Pharmaceutical Synthesis on May 30th, 2025 08:30 AM

Silicone surfactants are also amphilic materials but the group other than the silicone-soluble group can be oil- or water-soluble. The silicone surfactant, if composed of silicone- and water-soluble groups, will lower the surface tension of water to around 20 dynes/cm2.
Silicone surfactants have the intriguing and commercially viable ability to reduce the surface tension of polar and non-polar liquids to values 15–20 mN/m lower than commonly achieved with organic-based surfactants. Silicone surfactants demonstrate a marked tendency to form aggregate structures featuring surfactant bilayers including vesicles and lamellar liquid crystals. This tendency has been recently applied in the development of silicone vesicles as nanoscale delivery "vehicles" and in the templating of lamellar metal oxide structures.

silicone surfactant can be used in various applications:

Agriculture
As wetting agent enhances performance of herbicides and pesticides by dramatically reducing the product's surface tension, results in better spread and penetration of herbicides on the targeted leaves. This improved efficacy and to minimize the amount of the chemicals needed.

Inks and Coatings
Provides better slip, improved mar resistance, better levelling and foam control. Effective at very low concentrations hence are cost effective.

Textiles
Provide defoaming, lubrication, final product's softness, feel, wear ability, versatility and improved processing during the manufacturing stage.

Pulp and Paper
Improve various defoaming, drainage and better release. Also increases softness, absorbance or repellence of final products.

Personal Care
Improved softness, shine, conditioning, detangling and emollience. Also used as emulsifiers for creams and sun care products to improve stability and efficacy aesthetic delivery.

Leather
Improve both natural and synthetic leather's feel, softness, durability, abrasion resistance and resistance to soiling.

Automobile
Improve gloss, shine and beading to various products.

Oil and Gas
As organic demulsifier. As processing aids in many applications.

Polyurethane Foam
As stabilizers for the polyurethane foam industry.