Silicone Oil 2 cSt (Dimethicone, PDMS)

Silicone Oil 2 cSt is an ultra-low-viscosity linear PDMS (dimethicone) fluid — one step heavier than 1.5 cSt and still well below the 5 cSt workhorse, sitting just above the volatile grades 1.0 cSt octamethyltrisiloxane and 0.65 cSt hexamethyldisiloxane. It keeps the very low surface tension and fast wet-out of the lightest grades but is marginally less volatile than 1.5 cSt and lays down a slightly more substantive thin film, while still drying to a light, non-greasy slip. That makes it a fast-spreading carrier and diluent, an anti-spatter and release aid, a low-temperature dielectric and heat-transfer fluid, an antifoam base oil, and a co-fluid in personal-care formulation. Part of the grade is volatile, so it is more flammable than the heavier fluids — handling, flash point and volatility data are on the current SDS.

Typical Properties

The values below describe the nominal 2 cSt grade. They are typical values, not a specification; the Certificate of Analysis (CoA) for the lot you purchase governs.

Applications

In personal-care formulation, 2 cSt is a fast-spreading carrier and emollient fluid that wets out quickly and dries to a light, non-greasy, non-cooling slip with marginally more substance than 1.5 cSt. Formulators increasingly reach for low-viscosity linear dimethicones as alternatives to the volatile cyclic siloxanes (cyclomethicones such as D5), which face tightening restrictions in several markets; the linear fluid gives a comparable dry, weightless feel and acts as a carrier or co-solvent for actives, sunscreen filters, antiperspirant and deodorant systems, hair serums and color cosmetics. This describes formulation behavior — spreadability and feel — and makes no skin-health claim. As a low-temperature dielectric and heat-transfer fluid, 2 cSt brings high dielectric strength, an ultra-low pour point and a low viscosity-to-temperature coefficient, so it stays mobile and pumpable far below freezing; it is a common laboratory-bath and freeze-drying heat-transfer medium and a thin electronics-cooling fluid. As an anti-spatter and release aid, the thin film migrates into tight geometry and demolds cleanly, holding a touch longer than a 1.5 cSt deposit. As an antifoam base oil, it is the continuous phase that carries hydrophobic silica into aqueous and non-aqueous systems; dose against your foam load, not to a fixed percentage. It also works as a spreading carrier and diluent in polishes and spray lubricants, thinning heavier silicones and resins without raising surface tension. The trade-off runs through all of these: 2 cSt persists a little better than 1.5 cSt but spreads a touch slower, and part of the charge is still volatile, so confirm the grade against the durability and volatility your application needs.

Where 2 cSt sits on the ladder

The dimethicone fluids run from volatile to viscous on one continuous CAS, 9006-65-9. Just below 2 cSt are 1.5 cSt and the volatile grades (1.0 cSt octamethyltrisiloxane and 0.65 cSt hexamethyldisiloxane), which spread faster and flash off more readily. Above it sit 5 cSt and 10 cSt, which keep some of the fast spreading but are less volatile and lay down a more persistent film. 2 cSt is the heavier end of the ultra-light range: a hair more substantive than 1.5 cSt, still far lighter than 5 cSt. If you need the deposit to last, step up to 5 or 10 cSt; if you need it to flash off entirely, step down to the volatiles. The silicone oil viscosity guide walks the full ladder grade by grade.

Grades & bulk sourcing

RawSource supplies Silicone Oil 2 cSt in drums, totes and IBCs, with bulk quantities held in domestic US stock for short lead times. Every lot ships with a CoA, and the SDS is available on request. Confirm the grade for your application before you commit a production run — match viscosity to the spreading, persistence and volatility your formulation needs.

Related products

Compare neighboring grades and identifiers: Silicone Oil 1.5 cSt, Silicone Oil 5 cSt, Silicone Oil 10 cSt, Octamethyltrisiloxane (1.0 cSt), Hexamethyldisiloxane (0.65 cSt), and the parent Dimethicone (PDMS fluid).

Disclaimer. Information on this page — including chemical properties, identifiers, hazard, transport (DOT/UN) and tariff (HS) classifications, and applications — is provided for general reference and is compiled from authoritative public sources. Values are typical and are not a guaranteed specification; the Certificate of Analysis (CoA) for the lot you purchase governs. Products are sold for industrial and professional use only. Nothing here is a medical, health, or efficacy claim, or advice. Always consult the current Safety Data Sheet (SDS) before handling, storage, transport or disposal, and confirm regulatory status, classification and suitability for your application and jurisdiction. Hazard, transport and tariff classifications must be verified for your specific shipment. RawSource makes no warranty, express or implied, and assumes no liability for use of this information.