PEG/PPG Dimethicone: A New Name for an Old Friend

Throughout the 1990s, diemthicone copolyol (DMC) surfactants and their derivatives have been an important and growing class of surface active agents. These materials are used in such diverse applications as cosmetics, textiles, coatings, lubricants and detergents, among others, due to their ability to provide maximum surfact active properties in a cost-effective manner.1-3 Despite the growing use of these silicone-based compounds, the basic understanding of the effect of their structure on surfactant properties remains limited, relative to the information openly available for organic surfactants.

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