Views: 0 Author: Site Editor Publish Time: 2026-04-24 Origin: Site
In the textile printing, dyeing, and finishing industry, handfeel modifiers are key functional chemicals that determine the final quality and added value of fabrics. From the "silky, skin-friendly" feel of underwear to the "dry, crisp" feel of sportswear, from the "soft, fluffy" feel of home textiles to the "full, drape" feel of denim – every unique handfeel depends on the application of high-performance silicone oils. However, while traditional amino silicone oils perform well in softness, they have long faced technical bottlenecks such as yellowing, emulsion breaking, poor stability, and difficulty achieving hydrophilicity.
To thoroughly solve these industry pain points, Zhejiang Kefeng Silicone Co., Ltd. , with over 20 years of R&D and production experience in organosilicon chemistry, has launched its core characteristic product – Ternary Copolymer Block Silicone Oil. As the largest manufacturer of ternary block silicone oil in China (with a current monthly production capacity of crude block silicone oil reaching 1,000 tons), Kefeng has achieved a perfect integration of the soft, smooth feel of silicones with the hydrophilic, anti-yellowing properties of polyethers through innovative molecular structure design, redefining the technical benchmark for high-performance textile softeners.
Below is an in-depth technical analysis and application value report for this product.
To understand why Kefeng's ternary copolymer block silicone oil surpasses traditional products, we must first review the limitations of conventional silicone oils at the molecular level.
Traditional amino silicone oils are produced by introducing amino groups (-NH₂) onto the side chains or terminals of the polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) main chain. Amino groups have strong polarity and can undergo strong physical or chemical adsorption with active groups (such as hydroxyl and carboxyl groups) on fiber surfaces, thereby anchoring the siloxane main chain to the fiber surface and imparting soft, smooth, and glossy handfeel to the fabric.
However, this "pendant amino" structure brings three unavoidable problems:
High-Temperature Yellowing: Amino groups are easily oxidized during high-temperature setting (150–200°C), forming chromophores that cause yellowing of light-colored or white fabrics, significantly affecting product grade.
Hydrophobicity & Emulsion Breaking: Traditional amino silicone oils are extremely hydrophobic. They require large amounts of strongly hydrophilic surfactants for emulsification. When subjected to shear, high temperature, or pH fluctuations, they are prone to "emulsion breaking" – the silicone oil separates from the emulsion, causing silicone spots on fabrics, roller sticking, and even large quantities of waste.
Conflict Between Handfeel and Hydrophilicity: The more completely the silicone oil spreads on the fiber surface, the softer and smoother the handfeel, but it also blocks the pores between fibers, making the fabric completely non-absorbent. For categories requiring moisture wicking and perspiration absorption – such as underwear and sportswear – this creates an irreconcilable contradiction.
Kefeng's ternary copolymer block silicone oil adopts a fundamentally different molecular design approach. Rather than simple side-chain modification, it uses block copolymerization technology to chemically link polydimethylsiloxane (silicone segment) , polyether (hydrophilic segment) , and specialty amine/reactive groups (anchoring segment) in a regular manner, forming a linear, multi-block copolymer.
The advantages of this structure are revolutionary:
Silicone Segment (Segment A) : Provides the signature soft, smooth, and elastic handfeel main chain, uniformly spreading across the fiber surface.
Polyether Segment (Segment B) : The presence of hydrophilic chains makes the emulsion stable, eliminating the need for large amounts of external emulsifiers. At the same time, it acts like a "water channel," forming hydrophilic micro-domains on the fiber surface and imparting durable, tunable hydrophilic properties to the fabric.
Block Structure Itself : The chemical bonding ensures that these three performance segments are firmly combined at the molecular level, preventing phase separation during use.
The result is that Kefeng's ternary copolymer block silicone oil provides soft handfeel comparable to amino silicone oils while completely solving the historical problems of yellowing, emulsion breaking, and non-hydrophilicity.
Based on the molecular design above, Kefeng's ternary copolymer block silicone oil demonstrates several key advantages under the demanding production conditions of textile printing and dyeing mills:
Due to the introduction of polyether blocks and specialty reactive groups, the amount of amino groups is significantly reduced, and their oxidation activity is effectively suppressed. Kefeng's ternary copolymer block silicone oil produces almost no yellowing under high-temperature setting conditions , making it the ideal choice for handfeel finishing of cotton whitened fabrics, light-colored underwear, polyester chiffon, and modal/lyocell high-end fabrics. Treated fabrics maintain excellent whiteness without requiring formulation adjustments to mask yellowing.
Kefeng uses self-emulsifying technology – the silicone oil itself forms a stable microemulsion without the need for external emulsifiers. Its emulsion remains transparent, stable, and non-stratified under wide pH range (3–12), high shear forces, hard water (high calcium/magnesium ions), and high temperatures (60–80°C padding) .
For printing and dyeing mills, this means:
Extremely high equipment operation safety : No risk of roller sticking, significantly reducing downtime for cleaning.
Excellent compatibility : Can be used in the same bath with optical brighteners, resin finishes, water repellents, etc., simplifying the process flow.
No silicone spots : No oil spots or silicone residue defects on finished fabrics.
Kefeng's ternary copolymer block silicone oil can achieve a gradient design from "instant hydrophilicity" to "slight hydrophilicity" . By adjusting the ratio of silicone segments to polyether segments, Kefeng has developed hydrophilic silicone oil series targeted at different fibers and requirements, turning the traditional contradiction between hydrophilicity and handfeel into a tunable, synergistic relationship.
Hydrophilic Moisture-Absorbing Series : Suitable for sportswear, underwear, and towels. Treated fabrics achieve water droplet absorption time < 1 second while maintaining an extremely soft and smooth feel.
Soft and Full Series : Suitable for home textiles, plush fabrics, and heavy-weight fabrics. Provides a "plump" fluffy feel and drape while ensuring a certain degree of hydrophilicity.
Kefeng's ternary copolymer block silicone oil is compatible with most textile finishing agents. It is widely applicable for:
Exhaustion Method : Suitable for processing of packaged yarn and finished garments, providing uniform handfeel penetration.
Padding Method : Suitable for continuous stenter frames, followed by baking and setting.
Fiber Coverage : Cotton, linen, silk, wool, polyester, nylon, viscose, and various blended fabrics.
In addition to the ternary copolymer block silicone oil, Kefeng has also developed products with special optical effects based on block copolymerization technology. According to the company's official website, Kefeng's deepening silicone oil can increase the apparent color depth (K/S value) of black polyester fabrics by 50–80% . The mechanism involves the low-refractive-index silicone oil forming an anti-reflective film on the fiber surface, reducing light scattering from the fiber surface and allowing more light to be absorbed by the dye, resulting in a visually "deeper, purer black."
This characteristic holds significant economic value for the dyeing and finishing of high-end fashion and automotive interior fabrics: a deep, rich effect comparable to high-cost dyes can be achieved using mid-priced dyes.
Kefeng is not only a technological pioneer but also a guarantee of production capacity. Founded in 2002 with a registered capital of 60 million RMB, the company owns three manufacturing bases , one of which (Quzhou) is located in a national chemical industrial park. Currently, Kefeng's monthly production capacity of crude block silicone oil has reached 1,000 tons , making it the largest manufacturer of ternary block silicone oil in China.
Strict Quality Control : Raw materials, intermediates, and finished products all undergo chromatographic analysis, viscosity testing, and solid content measurement to ensure batch-to-batch stability.
Strong R&D Capabilities : As one of the "Top 20 Enterprises with Comprehensive Strength of Textile Printing and Dyeing Auxiliaries in China," Kefeng continuously invests in innovation in block polymerization processes, launching specialty silicone oils for specific fibers (such as microfibers and modified polyester).
Kefeng's ternary copolymer block silicone oil represents a leap from "functional additive type" to "molecularly designed type" textile auxiliaries. Through innovative block copolymerization technology, it integrates the softness of siloxanes, the hydrophilicity and stability of polyethers, and the reactivity of specialty anchoring groups within a single molecular chain.
It provides the textile printing and dyeing industry with a solution that allows fabrics to achieve a soft, smooth handfeel while maintaining excellent hydrophilicity, anti-yellowing properties, and high processing stability.
Technical Summary:
Chemical Structure : Polydimethylsiloxane-polyether-specialty amine/reactive group linear block copolymer.
Core Advantages : Ultra-low yellowing (high whiteness retention), self-emulsifying with excellent stability, tunable handfeel and hydrophilicity, strong versatility.
Physical Form : Clear to slightly milky viscous liquid, easily dispersible in water.
Application Processes : Exhaustion method or padding method (one dip one pad or two dips two pads), baking at 100–180°C.
Application Markets : Knitted fabrics, woven fabrics, garment washing, yarn, towels, denim, etc.
Choosing Kefeng's ternary copolymer block silicone oil means choosing leading molecular design technology, stable product quality, and strong supply reliability – helping your textiles find the perfect balance point between softness, whiteness, hydrophilicity, and process yield.
