Classification of softeners

Softener is a kind of auxiliaries with the largest variety and the largest amount in dyeing and finishing auxiliaries. According to reports, among the 920 samples of domestic and foreign auxiliaries collected by the Shanghai Institute of Printing and Dyeing Technology from 1990 to 1999, there were 350 softeners, accounting for 38%. So many types of softeners, according to their chemical structure, are basically two categories of long-chain aliphatic or high molecular polymers.

The hydrocarbon long chain in the molecular structure of the long-chain aliphatic softener can be in a randomly arranged curling state, forming the flexibility of the molecule. Dynamic and static friction coefficients of fibers. Therefore, the long-chain aliphatic structure generally has a good softening effect, and there are not only many varieties in softeners, but also a large amount. This type of softener can be divided into anionic, cationic, nonionic and amphoteric according to its ionicity. In addition, for natural oils and paraffin softeners, because they are all natural lubricating substances, they can also be regarded as a separate category, but they are also classified into different ionic categories according to the ionic properties of the emulsifiers used. .

There are two main types of polymer softeners: polyethylene and silicone. The variety of polyethylene softeners is relatively simple, the dosage is also small, and the dosage is also small. The most used ones are mainly silicone softeners. Since the main chain of polysiloxane is a very flexible helical straight chain structure, it can rotate 360 degrees freely, and the energy required for rotation is almost zero. Therefore, the molecular structure of polysiloxane alone conforms to the softening mechanism of textiles, which can not only reduce the static and dynamic friction coefficients between fibers, but also have very small intermolecular forces and reduce the surface tension of fibers. ideal material. Silicone softeners, especially amino-modified silicone softeners, are the fastest-growing softeners in recent years.