In many industrial fields such as textiles, daily chemicals, and coatings, silicone oil plays a key role as an important functional material. In the silicone oil family, water-based silicone oil and ordinary silicone oil have different application scenarios due to their unique properties. Understanding the differences between them is of great significance for industrial production and product performance optimization.


Ordinary silicone oil, usually polydimethylsiloxane, is a non-water-soluble silicone polymer. In its molecular structure, the silicon atom is connected to two methyl groups, forming a long chain structure through a silicon-oxygen bond (Si-O). This structure gives ordinary silicone oil an extremely low surface tension, making it have excellent lubricity, water resistance and chemical stability. In industrial applications, ordinary silicone oil is often used for mechanical lubrication, which can effectively reduce friction between mechanical parts, reduce wear, and extend the service life of equipment. In the finishing process of the textile industry, ordinary silicone oil can give fabrics a soft and smooth feel, while significantly improving the waterproof performance of fabrics. For example, the fabric treatment of outdoor jackets often relies on ordinary silicone oil.

In comparison, water-based silicone oil has obvious differences in structure and performance. Water-based silicone oil is an emulsion system formed by dispersing silicone oil in water through a special emulsification process. In order to achieve stable dispersion of silicone oil in water, some hydrophilic groups are usually introduced or emulsifiers are used. This special preparation method makes water-based silicone oil have some excellent properties of silicone oil itself and good water solubility. From the performance point of view, although the surface tension of water-based silicone oil is not as extremely low as that of ordinary silicone oil, it can still play a lubricating role in many application scenarios. In the textile printing and dyeing process, water-based silicone oil, as a dyeing auxiliary, can improve the fluidity of the dye solution and make the dye penetrate more evenly into the fiber, thereby improving the uniformity and brightness of the dyeing. In water-based coatings, water-based silicone oil can be used as a leveling agent to help the coating spread better during the coating process, reduce defects on the coating surface, and improve the flatness and gloss of the coating.

From an environmental protection perspective, water-based silicone oil has shown significant advantages. With the enhancement of global environmental awareness, the requirements for green industrial products are increasing. Ordinary silicone oil is difficult to dissolve in water. If it is not handled properly during production and use, it may cause environmental pollution, especially in terms of wastewater discharge, which may affect the water ecology. Water-based silicone oil uses water as a dispersion medium, which greatly reduces the use of organic solvents. It produces fewer volatile organic compounds (VOCs) during production and application, which meets the strict requirements of current environmental protection regulations. This makes water-based silicone oil more widely used in fields with high requirements for environmental performance, such as food packaging coatings and children's textiles.

In addition, water-based silicone oil also has certain advantages in storage and transportation. Ordinary silicone oil is usually an oily liquid, and special containers and conditions are required for storage and transportation to prevent leakage and deterioration. Because water-based silicone oil is based on water, it is relatively safer and more convenient during storage and transportation, reducing related costs. In general, water-based silicone oil and ordinary silicone oil each have their own characteristics and advantages. They complement each other in different industrial fields and provide strong support for the performance improvement and innovative development of various products. With the continuous advancement of science and technology, I believe that both will continue to innovate in performance optimization and application expansion, bringing more possibilities for industrial development.