Hydrophilic Materials

Hydrophilic silicones and siloxanes are widely used as surfactants and emulsifiers.  They consist mainly of dimethylsiloxane backbones in which some of the methyl groups are replaced by polyalkylenoxy or pyrrolidone groups with propyl group as a spacer.  The ratio of silicone to polyalkylenoxy groups affects the properties of the material.  The higher the alkylene oxide content the higher the hydrophilicity.  Materials with 75% or higher ethylene oxide content are freely soluble in water.  These materials can be used as wetting agents, lubricants, and anti-fog treatments.  Hydroxylic and cationic silicones also can be used as emulsifiers and polyelectrolytes, respectively.  These materials are most importantly used for anti-fogs and anti-stats.  Silanes and other metal organics with hydrolysable groups can be used react to surfaces for imparting hydrophilicity to the surface.  Trisiloxanes are low viscosity materials that have unique wetting, surfactant and solvency characteristics.  Their unusual characteristics are derived from having a small “cloud” of silicone hydrophobic groups from which the hydrophilic group extends. 

Applicable Gelest Brochures:
Hydrophobicity, Hydrophilicity
Reactive Silicones

Polyalkylene Oxide Silicones
DBE-712         Dimethylsiloxane-Ethylene oxide block copolymer
DBP-732         Dimethylsiloxane - (60% Propylene oxide-40% Ethylene oxide) block copolymer
DBE-224         Dimethylsiloxane-Ethylene oxide block copolymer

Hydroxylic and Cationic Silicones
QMS-435         35-45% (Trimethylphenethyl)methylsiloxane - 55-65% Dimethylsiloxane copolymer, chloride salt
CMS-222         (Carbinol functional)methylsiloxane-Dimethylsiloxane copolymer

Poly(alkyleneoxy) functional metal organics and silanes
AKT841            O-Allyloxy(polyethyleneoxy)triisopropxytitanate
SIT8192.0        N-(3-Triethoxysilylpropyl)-4-hydroxybutyramide
SIM6492.7       2-[Methoxy(polyethyleneoxy)propyl]trimethoxysilane

Trisiloxanes
SIH6185.0       (Hydroxypolyethyleneoxypropyl)heptamethyltrisiloxane
SIM6492.6       (Methoxypolyethyleneoxypropyl)heptamethyltrisiloxane
SIA0075.0        (Acetoxypolyethyleneoxypropyl)heptamethyltrisiloxane