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Lecithin + silicon
Hi,
Can I use lecithin as an emulsifier with silicon? Did not get my answer online anywhere
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7 Replies
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Assuming you mean dimethicone, kfox, the answer is: yes, you may use it, but no, it will not work. Try Plan B.
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Thanks. 1. what do you recommend for a oil and silicone (dimeth, cyclometh, …….) emulsifier? 2. what do you recommend for a oil,silicone, and water emulsifier?
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If using a high level of silicone derivatives in your formula, I recommend water-in-silicone emulsions, because they are elegant and often much less expensive, depending on the water level used, which can be significant. Check out Dow-Corning 5225C emulsifier or DC5200 if you are also incorporating polar (botanical, vegetable) oils and esters too. Evonik and SilTech also have equally good ( and less expensive) W/Si emulsifiers. Check their literature for processing tips. If you are merely emulsifying a little silicone and a little oil (< 10% total), then I recommend cationic emulsifiers. Behenyltrimonium chloride or acid-neutralized tetiary alkyl amines (e.g. stearamidopropyl dimethylamine) work best for larger MW dimethicone (~10,000 CST +) and the various polysiloxane gums. As for lecithin, put it on your corn flakes at breakfast time for a heart-healthy phoshpolipid punch; stray away from using it in cosmetic formulations unless you are making liposomes.
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Yay Matt! Awesome answers, especially on the lecithin.
Once you decide to use any silicone in your formula, you have permanently destroyed any possibility of calling it natural. As a result, there’s no real reason to use lecithin as an emulsifier, although if you had to (cough-marketing requirement-cough) either something like Lecigel, or using the other emulsifiers Matt recommended and lecithin at fairy-dust quantities, would be the only ways to get a successful emulsion. -
Thank you Bob. The thanks of a grateful nation is all we veterans ask, right?
BTW, ever try to actually make liposomes using phospholipids (lecithin) and an agent to be “vesicled”? They make it sound so easy. It is not. Next time somebody asks me for some, I’ll call Salvona or somewhere and make a purchase.
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Making stable liposomes pretty much requires one of these:
or something similar -
That looks like a fun toy!
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