Silicone Emulsion Supplier | Mold Release & Textile Grades in Bulk

Three quotes for “silicone emulsion” can describe three different products: different solids, different base-fluid viscosities, different emulsifier systems. The drum price tells you almost nothing until those numbers are on the table. This page is for the buyer who has to put a 60% silicone emulsion on a purchase order at drum or tote volume and needs the selection logic, the specification, and the supply terms in one place.

The short version: RawSource supplies silicone emulsion in the 60%-solids class as two non-ionic grades: RS-EM 350/60 on a 350 cSt polydimethylsiloxane base and RS-EM 1000/60 on a 1,000 cSt base, both at a typical 63% solids. They ship from US stock in pails, 55-gallon (200 kg) drums, and 2,000 lb+ totes, with a lot Certificate of Analysis (CoA) on every shipment.

The applications are mold and die release, textile sizing and finishing, and the slip-and-gloss component in polish formulations. Foam control is a different product; see the antifoam note below.

What is a silicone emulsion?

A silicone emulsion is silicone oil, polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS, CAS 63148-62-9), broken into fine droplets and held in water by an emulsifier system. It is an oil-in-water concentrate, translucent and milky-white, that dilutes into plain water at the point of use. The silicone does the work. The water is the carrier that lets you spray, dip, or pad it without a solvent.

Four numbers define the product. Solids content is the non-volatile fraction left after the water is driven off, measured at 110 °C for 2 hours on the RS-EM grades; “60%” is the nominal class, and the RS-EM grades certify 61.0–64.0% per batch. Base-fluid viscosity in centistokes (cSt, the kinematic figure measured by ASTM D445) is the viscosity of the PDMS that ends up on your tool or fiber.

The third number is emulsifier type. The RS-EM system is non-ionic, so it does not react with the calcium and magnesium in ordinary process water. The fourth is dilution-water hardness, with a practical ceiling of about 200 ppm for these grades. The solids arithmetic is worked through in what is a 60% silicone emulsion. The sourcing-desk rule is short: put certified solids and base-fluid cSt on every RFQ line, and refuse to compare quotes that omit either.

How do you choose a silicone emulsion grade?

The emulsion deposits its base fluid, so base-fluid viscosity is the grade decision, and certified solids set the dilution arithmetic. The table pairs the two RS-EM grades with the applications the RawSource technical data sheet (TDS) lists for them. Dilution figures are arithmetic on the typical 63% solids; the working level for any process is set by trial, and the CoA number for your lot governs.

Base-fluid viscosity is the trade-off on this page. The 350 cSt fluid wets and spreads faster, which suits complex geometry and thin, even films. The 1,000 cSt fluid rides longer on the tool for more releases per application, at the cost of a heavier film that can transfer more silicone to the part. The viscosity guide covers how cSt drives film behavior across the PDMS ladder.

When in doubt, start with RS-EM 350/60 and move up only if the film does not last. If you are replacing a competitor’s “60% emulsion” that states no base-fluid viscosity, ask for it before matching grades; same solids on a different base fluid is a different product on the tool.

Applications by industry

The same concentrate serves several sectors. Each duty links to the practice post that carries the full procedure, so this page stays on selection and supply.

Mold and die release for rubber, plastics, and die casting

Diluted silicone emulsion is the standard water-based release in tire and cold-tire molding, thermoset and mechanical rubber goods, footwear soles and heels, foundry dies, plastics molding, and fiberglass release. It also serves as a process release aid in latex-glove manufacture, a manufacturing-process use only. Applied by brush, dip, or spray, the film releases parts with no smoke, carbonization, or build-up on the mold.

Over-application is the usual root cause of surface irregularities on the part, so the thinnest continuous film is the target. The dilution SOP is in silicone emulsion for mold release; the format comparison against neat fluids and solvent systems is in the silicone mold release agents guide. Serves industrial manufacturing and plastics and polymers accounts.

Textile finishing and softening

In the mill, the non-reactive PDMS emulsion goes into sizing and finishing baths. The PDMS film lowers fiber-to-fiber and fiber-to-metal friction, which reads as softer hand and smoother thread running. With no amine to oxidize it does not yellow whites the way amino-functional softeners can, and it costs less; the trade is a less durable finish. The full comparison is in silicone emulsion in textile finishing, written for textiles buyers.

Polish, automotive, and surface-care formulations (B2B)

Formulators use the RS-EM grades as the slip-and-gloss silicone component in furniture, homecare, and automotive polish formulations and in artificial-leather cleansers. The 63%-solids concentrate brings PDMS into a water-based product without handling neat fluid or a solvent carrier; dose at the emulsion stage and adjust for certified solids. This is a formulation input for polish and dressing manufacturers.

Applications to qualify by trial

Buyers also ask about concrete-form release, paper and packaging slip, and water repellency on inorganic substrates. The RS-EM technical data sheet does not carry performance data for these applications, so this page does not claim it. Where a plant already runs a PDMS release or slip agent, a bench trial from the required active level is the right qualification step, and a sample quantity can be supplied against a stated test protocol.

What about antifoam?

A silicone emulsion and a silicone antifoam emulsion are different products. The RS-EM grades are release and process emulsions built to lay down a PDMS film; antifoam emulsions are compounded to break foam, at different actives. For foam knockdown, see silicone antifoam emulsion.

Bulk supply, grades, and quality control

RawSource supplies both grades from US stock, so lead time is set by packaging and freight rather than an import queue. Packaging is pails, 55-gallon (200 kg) drums, and 2,000 lb+ totes. A lot-specific CoA accompanies every shipment; the grade-specific Safety Data Sheet (SDS) is available on request. For container-volume programs, ask for a drum or tote price break against your annual usage.

Storage is the supply term that catches new buyers. The emulsion must not freeze. Store between 5 and 32 °C, never above 38 °C, and use within 12 months of manufacture in the original container. A frozen or overheated drum can break the emulsion, and a broken emulsion is oil and water, not a release agent. Plan winter receiving and unheated warehouse space around that limit before the first tote arrives.

Typical values — Certificate of Analysis governs.

Particle size is reported qualitatively for these grades (low, easy to dilute); no micron figure is published. The base fluids are the same PDMS sold neat as silicone oil 350 cSt and silicone oil 1,000 cSt; the polymer chemistry is documented on the dimethicone page. Quality on the CoA is framed on three levers: solids content, pH, and emulsion viscosity.

How to request a quote

Send five things and the sourcing desk can quote the right grade first time.

1. The application: mold release (which process and substrate), textile finishing, polish formulation, or a trial in an unlisted application. 2. The base-fluid viscosity you run today, or the competitor grade you are replacing, with its stated solids. 3. Dilution water: municipal or well, and its hardness if known. The USGS hardness scale starts its “very hard” bracket at 180 mg/L as CaCO3, close to the ~200 ppm ceiling for these grades. 4. Volume and cadence: drums or totes, one-time or monthly, and annual usage for a price break. 5. Receiving conditions: whether the material can be held above 5 °C year-round.

If the answer to the last question is no, say so; a heated receiving plan costs less than a frozen tote. The smallest step that de-risks a bulk order is a pail-quantity trial at the dilution you intend to run.

Methodology and sources

Every property value on this page comes from the RawSource TDS and typical CoA data published on the silicone emulsion product page; the lot CoA governs. PDMS identity is anchored to PubChem, base-fluid viscosity to ASTM D445, and hardness context to the USGS classification. Application scope is limited to the TDS. No producer, supplier, or trade code is named, and no food-contact, environmental, or medical status is asserted. The wider silicone line is on the bulk silicone supplier hub.

Frequently asked questions

#### What is a 60% silicone emulsion?

An oil-in-water emulsion of polydimethylsiloxane whose non-volatile solids sit in the nominal 60% class. The RS-EM grades certify 61.0–64.0% solids per batch (typical 63%), measured at 110 °C for 2 hours; the CoA states the figure for your lot.

#### Is a dimethicone emulsion the same as a silicone emulsion?

For this product class, yes. Dimethicone is the INCI name for polydimethylsiloxane, so “dimethicone emulsion,” “PDMS emulsion,” and “silicone oil emulsion” describe the same oil-in-water concentrate. What differs between products is solids, base-fluid viscosity, and emulsifier type.

#### Do you supply a food-grade silicone emulsion?

No. RS-EM 350/60 and RS-EM 1000/60 are industrial release and process grades, and RawSource does not assert food-contact status for them. Food-contact use of dimethylpolysiloxane release agents is regulated under 21 CFR 175.300; a buyer with that requirement needs a grade whose supplier documentation states compliance with the applicable section, which these grades do not carry.

#### Which grade should I use for mold release, 350 or 1,000 cSt base?

Start with RS-EM 350/60. Its 350 cSt base spreads faster into a thin, even film and covers most rubber, plastics, foundry, and fiberglass release. Move to RS-EM 1000/60 where the lighter film wears too fast, such as hot or vertical tooling, and confirm pull count in your own process.

#### How do I dilute silicone emulsion, and what water should I use?

Estimate the active silicone level your process needs, then add the concentrate to cold water under low shear and agitate before use. At a typical 63% solids, 1:9 delivers about 6.3% silicone and 1:19 about 3.2%. Keep dilution water under roughly 200 ppm hardness, or qualify softened or deionized water first.

#### What is the difference between silicone emulsion and silicone antifoam emulsion?

The RS-EM grades are release and process emulsions that deposit a PDMS film. A silicone antifoam emulsion is compounded to collapse foam and is dosed at far lower levels. They are not interchangeable; for foam control, see the silicone antifoam emulsion page.

Editorial note. This article is general procurement and technical guidance for industrial and professional buyers. All property values are typical values for the grades described, not guaranteed specifications; the Certificate of Analysis governs the lot you purchase. Performance in any end use is process-dependent and must be validated on your own system. Products are sold for industrial and professional use only; no food-contact, environmental, medical, or regulatory suitability is asserted; compliance and safe handling are the buyer’s responsibility. Always consult the current Safety Data Sheet (SDS) before handling. RawSource makes no warranty, express or implied, and assumes no liability for use of this information.