What is PEG-12 Dimethicone and what is it used for?
PEG-12 dimethicone (CAS 68937-54-2) is a silicone polyether that bridges silicone and water phases. It is used as a nonionic silicone emulsifier and wetting agent, emulsifying water and silicone phases and wetting surfaces and pigments, and to impart a conditioning silicone feel to hair and skin.
PEG-12 DIMETHICONE- ▸ Silicone emulsifier: Emulsifies water and silicone phases.
- ▸ Wetting agent: Wets surfaces and pigments in formulation.
- ▸ Conditioning: Imparts a hair- and skin-conditioning silicone feel.
A grade-specific Safety Data Sheet (SDS) — with the complete hazard classification, handling precautions, and transport information — is supplied with every shipment and available on request. Confirm all safety and regulatory details against the SDS for your specific grade.
Request SDS →PEG-12 Dimethicone (CAS 68937-54-2) is a polyether-modified, water-dispersible silicone — a dimethicone backbone grafted with polyethylene-glycol (PEG) chains. The PEG groups make this silicone compatible with water, so it acts as a silicone surfactant, emulsifier, wetting agent and conditioning agent that bridges silicone and aqueous phases. It is used across personal care and as a wetting/spreading additive in technical formulations.
What is PEG-12 dimethicone?
It is a dimethicone (PDMS) chain carrying PEG (ethylene-oxide) side chains — a silicone polyether copolymer. Plain dimethicone is water-insoluble; grafting hydrophilic PEG onto it produces a surface-active silicone that disperses in water and lowers surface tension, while retaining silicone slip and spreading. The “12” indicates the average degree of ethoxylation, which sets the hydrophilic/lipophilic balance.
Applications by sector
Personal care. PEG-12 dimethicone is a silicone emulsifier and wetting/conditioning agent used to emulsify or solubilize silicones into water-based skin and hair products, to give light slip and a smooth after-feel, and to improve spreading in cleansers, sprays, antiperspirants and color cosmetics. This describes formulation behavior — wetting, emulsification and feel — not a skin-health claim. Technical / I&I. The same surface-activity makes it a wetting, spreading and antifoam-compatible additive in cleaning and coating formulations. Match the grade to the HLB and performance your formula needs.
Forms and grades
Supplied as a fluid; confirm the active silicone content, the degree of ethoxylation and any carrier on the RFQ. Related silicone surfactants and conditioning silicones are part of the same line — see the bulk silicone supplier hub.
Handling and documentation
Each lot ships with a Certificate of Analysis (CoA); request the Safety Data Sheet (SDS) for physical-property and handling data, which are sourced from the SDS rather than reproduced here.
Bulk supply and RFQ
RawSource supplies PEG-12 dimethicone in drums and totes from domestic US stock to personal-care and specialty formulators, with CoA and SDS per lot. Submit an RFQ with your target quantity and packaging. Related silicones: dimethicone, dimethiconol, phenyl trimethicone.
Typical Properties
Typical reference values, not a specification; the Certificate of Analysis (CoA) for the lot governs.
| Property | Typical Value |
|---|---|
| INCI Name | PEG-12 Dimethicone |
| CAS Number | 68937-54-2 |
| Chemical type | Polyether (PEG)-modified, water-dispersible polydimethylsiloxane |
| Appearance | Clear to hazy fluid |
| Solubility | Water-dispersible / water-soluble (PEG-modified) |
| Function | Silicone emulsifier, surfactant, wetting & conditioning agent |
| Flammability / handling | Refer to the current SDS |
Regulatory & registration requirements
- TSCA (US):
- REACH (EU): Not determined from public registry
- EC number: 614-822-8
TSCA Inventory flag XU: a substance exempt from reporting under the Chemical Data Reporting Rule (40 CFR 711) (EPA flag legend).
Source: EPA TSCA Inventory (July 2025 release) · ECHA CHEM — retrieved 2026-07-12
Reviewed and updated July 2026 by the RawSource technical team.
PEG-12 dimethicone (CAS 68937-54-2) is a water-soluble silicone polyether, a dimethicone backbone carrying an average of 12 ethylene-oxide units, used as a nonionic silicone emulsifier and wetting agent.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is PEG-12 dimethicone used for?
PEG-12 dimethicone (CAS 68937-54-2) is a water-dispersible silicone used as an emulsifier, surfactant, wetting agent and conditioning agent — mainly to emulsify silicones into water-based personal-care products and to give light slip and spreading; also as a wetting additive in technical formulations.
Is PEG-12 dimethicone water soluble?
Yes — unlike plain dimethicone, the grafted PEG chains make PEG-12 dimethicone water-dispersible/soluble, which is what lets it act as a silicone surfactant and emulsifier bridging silicone and water phases.
What does the “12” mean in PEG-12 dimethicone?
It denotes the average number of ethylene-oxide (PEG) units grafted to the dimethicone, which sets the hydrophilic/lipophilic balance and therefore the emulsifying behavior.
How does PEG-12 dimethicone differ from dimethicone?
Dimethicone is a water-insoluble silicone fluid; PEG-12 dimethicone is the same silicone backbone modified with hydrophilic PEG chains, making it water-dispersible and surface-active rather than a simple oil.
How is bulk PEG-12 dimethicone supplied and quoted?
RawSource supplies it in drums and totes from domestic US stock, with CoA and SDS per lot. Pricing is quote-based on grade, active content, volume and packaging; submit an RFQ with your target quantity.
What is the REACH and TSCA regulatory status of PEG-12 Dimethicone?
PEG-12 Dimethicone (CAS 68937-54-2) is listed as Active on the U.S. EPA TSCA Inventory; its REACH registration status is not determined from the public ECHA registry.