68339 Silicone Softener (Hydrophilic, Deepening & Especially suitable for vulcanized black fabrics)

Features & Benefits

High hydrophilic property.

Perfect applicability: It can ensure the stability under high shear and wide pH range.

During use, there will be no roll banding, sticking to equipment, oil floating or demulsification.

Has great deepening and brightening effect on vulcanized black color fabrics. Effectively improves dyeing depth 20~30% and red color shade is obvious.

Has excellent deepening and brightening effect on dark color fabrics, as activated black, bright red and royalblue, etc. without negative effect on color fastness.

Typical Properties

Package

120kg plastic barrel, IBC tank & customized package available for selection

TIPS:

Silicone softeners

Silicones were classified as a separate class of man-made polymers derived from silicon metal in 1904. They have been used to formulate textile softening chemicals since the 1960s. Initially, unmodified polydimethylsiloxanes were used. In the late 1970s, the introduction of aminofunctional polydimethylsiloxanes opened new dimensions of textile softening. The term ‘silicone’ refers to artificial polymer based on a framework of alternating silicon and oxygen (siloxane bonds). The larger atomic radius of silicon atom makes the silicon–silicon single bond much less energetic, hence silanes (Si_nH_2n+1) are much less stable than alkenes. However, silicon–oxygen bonds are more energetic (about 22Kcal/mol) than carbon–oxygen bonds. Silicone also derives from its kitone-like structure (silico–ketone) similar to acetone. Silicones are free of double bonds in their backbones and are not oxocompounds. Generally, the silicone treatment of textiles consists of silicone polymer (mainly polydimethylsiloxanes) emulsions but not with the silane monomers, which may liberate hazardous chemicals (e.g. hydrochloric acid) during treatment.

Silicones exhibit some unique properties including thermal oxidative stability, low temperature flowability, low viscosity change against temperature, high compressibility, low surface tension, hydrophobicity, good electric properties and low fire hazard because of their inorganic–organic structure and the flexibility of the silicone bonds. One of the key features of silicone materials is their effectiveness at very low concentrations. Very small amounts of silicones are required to achieve the desired properties, which can improve the cost of textile operations and ensure a minimum environmental impact.

The mechanism of softening by silicone treatment is due to a flexible film formation. The reduced energy required for a bond rotation makes the siloxane backbone more flexible. The deposition of flexible film reduces interfibre and interyarn friction.

Thus the silicone finishing of textile produces an exceptional soft handle combined with other properties such as:

(1) Smoothness

(2) Greasy feel

(3) Excellent body

(4) Improved crease resistance

(5) Improved tear strength

(6) Improved sewability

(7) Good antistatic and antipilling properties

Because of their inorganic–organic structure and the flexibility of the siloxane bonds, silicones have the following unique properties:

(1) Thermal/oxidative stability

(2) Low-temperature flowability

(3) Low change of viscosity with temperature

(4) High compressibility

(5) Low surface tension (spreadability)

(6) Low fire hazard

Silicones have very wide application in textile processing, such as fiber lubricants in spinning, high-speed sewing machinery, winding and slashing, as binders in nonwoven manufacturing, as antifoam in dyeing, as softeners in print paste, finishing and coating.

The moisture regain and permittivity of chemical fibers (as polyester, vinylon, acrylic fiber and nylon, etc.) are lower. But friction coefficient is higher. The constant friction during spinning and weaving creates a lot of static electricity. It is necessary to prevent and eliminate the accumulation of static electricity, and at the same time to impart the fiber smoothness and softness, so that the processing can go well. Therefore, there must use spinning oil.

With the development of variety of chemical fiber and the improvement of chemical fiber spinning oil and weaving process, the greasy dirt remaining on chemical fiber fabrics (as spinning oil and weaving oil) has changed a lot. The spinning oil and weaving oil used by each factory are different. In recent years, textile machinery has developed rapidly. The dosage of oil increases accordingly. Some factories have pursued big weight of chemical fiber knitted fabrics one-sidedly, so they have increased dosage of oil. In addition, some chemical fiber fabrics are placed outdoors, covered in a lot of dirt and oil contamination. All these have brought certain difficulties to the degreasing process in pretreatment before dyeing and finishing.