METHOD FOR THE PREPARATION OF A SILICONE DEFOAMER COMPOSITION

Abstract: A defoamer composition is obtained when a mixture of certain siloxane-containing components, a finely divided filler, a reaction catalyst and at least one compound having in each molecule at least 1 group expressed by ≡COR⁵, -COOR⁶ or -(OR⁷) n - is heated. R⁵ and R⁶ are the hydrogen atom or saturated or unsaturated monovalent hydrocarbon groups, R⁷ is a divalent hydro­ carbon group having two to six carbon atoms, and the average value of n is ≧1. The siloxane-containing components comprise resinous polyorganosiloxanes and typically, polydiorganosiloxanes. The heated mixture is useful for defoaming anionic systems.

Description: The invention relates to a method for the preparation of a silicone defoamer composition. To a substantial degree, the foaming of liquids is a serious problem in various industrial methods as generally encompassed by those treatment processes which use a liquid as the treatment agent and those processes in which a liquid is itself subjected to treatment. Foaming of the liquid may reduce the efficiency of an essential treatment process, and product quality may also be compromised. As is known, the problem of foaming may be addressed by the application of a defoamer having a foam-breaking effect, which serves to extinguish the foam, and/or having a foam-inhibiting effect, which serves to prevent or reduce the foaming tendencies of the liquid. In particular, silicone defoamers are preferred because they are chemically stable, rarely adversely affect the object of application, have a relatively high defoaming activity even at very low doses, etc. Various silicone defoamers have been proposed in the art. For example, JP-A-45-23613 (23,613/70) describes a defoamer composed of dimethylpolysiloxane oil, a particular siloxane resin, and silica aerogel. JP-A-47-1602 (1,602/72) describes a defoamer produced by heating polyorganosiloxane with a finely divided additive such as silica, etc., in the presence of alkali. However, problems are encountered with the defoaming activity of the prior silicone defoamers described above, particularly due to the brief duration of their foam-inhibiting effect. As a consequence, the requirements of any process which requires long-term foam suppression cannot be met in an entirely satisfactory manner. Further prior art is EP-A-0 163 541 (method of producing a silicone defoamer composition) and US-A-4 076 648 (self-dispersible antifoam compositions). The present invention was developed based on the aforementioned circumstances, and the object of the present invention is to provide a method for the preparation of a silicone defoamer composition which has an excellent and long-term, foam-inhibiting effect. It is also an object of the present invention to provide improved silicon-containing defoamer compositions. These objects, and others which may occur to one skilled in the silicone defoamer art upon consideration of the following disclosure and appended claims, are obtained by the present invention which, briefly stated, comprises heating to cause a reaction in a mixture of certain siloxane-containing components, a finely divided filler, a reaction catalyst and at least one compound having in each molecule at least 1 group expressed by ≡COR⁵, -COOR⁶ or -(OR⁷) n -, wherein R⁵ and R⁶ are the hydrogen atom or saturated or unsaturated monovalent hydrocarbon groups, R⁷ is a divalent hydrocarbon group having two to six carbon atoms, and the average value of n is ≧1. The siloxane-containing components comprise resinous polyorganosiloxanes and typically, polydiorganosiloxanes. The present invention relates to a method for the preparation of a silicone defoamer composition, said method comprising heating, at a temperature of from about 50°C to 300°C, a mixture comprising (1) 0 to 100 weight parts polyorganosiloxane having a viscosity at 25°C of 2 x 10⁻⁵ to 0.1 m²/s (20 centistokes to 100,000 centistokes) and the general formula R¹ a SiO (4-a)/2 wherein R¹ is a monovalent hydrocarbon or halogenated hydrocarbon group having one to ten carbon atoms, and a has an average value of 1.9 to 2.2; (2) 0 to 100 weight parts polyorganosiloxane having a viscosity at 25°C of 2 x 10⁻⁴ to several m²/s (200 centistokes to several million centistokes) and the general formula R² b (R³O) c SiO (4-b-c)/2 wherein R2 is a monovalent hydrocarbon or halogenated hydrocarbon group having one to ten carbon atoms, R³ is the hydrogen atom or a monovalent hydrocarbon group having one to ten carbon atoms, the average value of b + c is 1.9 to 2.2, c is a value sufficient to provide at least one group -OR³ in each molecule, and at least one group -OR³ is present at a molecular terminal, the combined quantity of components (1) and (2) being 100 weight parts; (3) 0.2 to 20 weight parts, per 100 weight parts of the combined quantity of components (1) and (2), of at least one compound selected from the following (i) through (iv): (i) organosilicon compounds with the general formula R⁴ d SiX 4-d wherein R⁴ is a saturated or unsaturated monovalent hydrocarbon group having one to five carbon atoms, X is a hydrolyzable group, and the average value of d is ≦1, (ii) the partial hydrolysis condensates of compounds (i), (iii) siloxane resins essentially composed of (CH₃)₃SiO 1/2 units and SiO₂ units in which the ratio of (CH₃)₃SiO 1/2 units to SiO₂ units is within the range of 0.4/1 to 1.2/1, and (iv) the condensates of compounds (i) or (ii) with compounds (iii); (4) 0.2 to 30 weight parts, per 100 weight parts of the combined quantity of components (1) and (2), of a finely divided filler; (5) an effective amount of a reaction catalyst; (6) at least 0.2 weight part, per 100 weight parts of the combined quantity of components (1) and (2), of at least one compound having in each molecule at least 1 group expressed by ≡COR⁵, -COOR⁶ or -(OR⁷) n - wherein R⁵ and R⁶ are the hydrogen atom or saturated or unsaturated monovalent hydrocarbon groups, R⁷ is a divalent hydrocarbon group having two to six carbon atoms, and the average value of n is ≧1; and, optionally, (7) 0.5 to 100 weight parts, per 100 weight parts of the combined quantity of components (1) and (2), of a polyorganosiloxane having a viscosity at 25°C of 5 x 10⁻⁶ to 2 x 10⁻⁴ m²/s (5 centistokes to 200 centistokes) and the general formula R⁸ e (R⁹O) f SiO (4-e-f)/2 wherein R⁸ is a monovalent hydrocarbon or halogenated hydrocarbon group having one to ten carbon atoms, R⁹ is the hydrogen atom or a monovalent hydrocarbon group having one to ten carbon atoms, the average value of e + f is 1.9 to 2.2, f has a value sufficient to provide at least two groups -OR⁹ in each molecule, and at least one group -OR⁹ is present at a molecular terminal. In the explanation which follows, the silicone defoamer composition is obtained in the present invention by the thermal reaction of a mixture of at least one of components (1) and (2) with components (3) through (6), or this mixture which additionally contains component (7). Component (1) is a polyorganosiloxane having the general formula R¹ a SiO (4-a)/2 and having a viscosity at 25°C of from 2 x 10⁻⁵ to 0.1 m²/s (20 centistokes to 100,000 centistokes). The organic groups R¹ in this polyorganosiloxane may be entirely identical, or may be different, and are to consist of monovalent hydrocarbon and halogenated hydrocarbon groups having one to ten carbon atoms. Concrete examples of such groups are quite familiar in the silicone art, and include alkyl, such as methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl and octyl; haloalkyl, such as trifluoropropyl; aryl, such as phenyl and 2-phenylethyl; and alkenyl, such as vinyl, etc. Methyl is particularly preferred. In the above formula for component (1) a has a value within the range of 1.9 to 2.2. This polyorganosiloxane is essentially composed of R¹₂SiO units and R¹₃SiO 1/2 units, but may contain other constituent siloxane units, such as R¹SiO 3/2 and SiO 4/2 , as long as the value of a , which represents the R¹/Si molar ratio, falls within the range specified above. Hydroxyl groups and hydrolyzable groups may be present in residual quantities deriving from the production process, but are preferably essentially absent. Particularly preferred as this polyorganosiloxane component (1) are trimethylsilyl-terminated polydimethylsiloxanes having viscosities of 10⁻⁴ to 1.5 x 10⁻² m²/s (100 centistokes to 15,000 centistokes) at 25°C. Component (2) is a polyorganosiloxane having the general formula R² b (R³O) c SiO (4-b-c)/2 and having a viscosity at 25°C of 2 x 10⁻⁴ to several m²/s (200 centistokes to several million centistokes). The organic groups R² are monovalent hydrocarbon or halogenated hydrocarbon group having one to ten carbon atoms, and are generally and concretely exemplified as for R¹ above. R³ is the hydrogen atom or a monovalent hydrocarbon group having one to ten carbon atoms and defined as for R². At least one group -OR³ is to be present at a terminal of the polyorganosiloxane molecular chain. The value of b + c in this formula for component (2) is to be within the range of 1.9 to 2.2, and c is to have a value sufficient to provide at least one -OR³ group in each molecule. Hydroxyl-terminated polydimethylsiloxanes having viscosities of 5 x 10⁻⁴ to 5 x 10⁻² m²/s (500 centistokes to 50,000 centistokes) at 25°C are particularly preferred as this polyorganosiloxane component (2). Component (3) is at least one compound selected from the following compounds (i) to (iv): (i) Organosilicon compounds having the general formula R⁴ d SiX 4-d wherein the group R⁴ is a saturated or unsaturated monovalent hydrocarbon group, and X is a hydrolyzable group such as -OR', -OYOR', -NR'R", -ON=CR'R", -OOCR', -OCR'=CR'R", -ONR'R", and -NR'-CO-R" wherein R' and R" are the hydrogen atom or monovalent hydrocarbon groups and the terminals of R' and R" in -ON=CR'R" may be bonded to give while Y is a divalent hydrocarbon group having one to five carbon atoms. The average value of d is ≦1, thus indicating R⁴SiX₃ or SiX₄ individually or as their mixture. These organosilicon compounds are well known in the silicone art, and an exemplary list includes CH₃Si(OCH₃)₃, CH₃Si(OC₂H₅)₃, CH₂=CHSi(OCH₃)₃, C₆H₅Si(OC₂H₅)₃, Si(OC₂H₅)₄, Si(OC₃H₇)₄, CH₂=CHSi(OC₂H₅)₃, Si(OC₂H₄OC₂H₅)₄, CH₃Si[N(C₄H₉)₂]₃, CH₃Si[ON=C(CH₃)₂]₃, CH₃Si(OOCCH₃)₃, CH₃Si[OC(CH₃)=CH₂]₃, CH₃Si[ON(C₂H₅)₂]₃, etc. (ii) The partial hydrolysis condensates of the above compounds (i). Methods for producing such condensates are themselves known, any of which may be used to prepare these hydrolysis condensates. (iii) Siloxane resins essentially composed of (CH₃)₃SiO 1/2 units and SiO₂ units in which the ratio of (CH₃)₃SiO 1/2 units to SiO₂ units is within the range of 0.4/1 to 1.2/1. These siloxane resins are available commercially, and are produced by the cohydrolysis/condensation of (CH₃)₃SiCl and SiCl₄ or by the reaction of (CH₃)₃SiCl with a silicate salt solution. The resulting siloxane resins usually contain approximately 2 to 5 wt% residual hydroxyl groups, and this residual hydroxyl can be reduced to essentially zero by methods which are themselves known. All such siloxane resins are operative within the context of the present invention regardless of their content of residual hydroxyl groups. (iv) The condensates of siloxane resins comprising compound (iii) with the above compounds (i) or (ii). Component (4) is a finely divided filler such as silica or fumed TiO₂, Al₂O₃, or Al₂O₃/SiO₂. Fumed TiO₂, Al₂O₃ and Al₂O₃/SiO₂ are produced by known methods by the calcination of TiCl₄, and AlCl₃ and/or SiCl₄, respectively. Finely divided silica is particularly preferred, and this includes dry-method silicas as produced by the thermal decomposition of silicon halide or by the thermal reaction of silicic acid-containing substances, etc., as well as wet-method silicas as produced by the decomposition by acid of a metal silicate such as sodium silicate, by the aerogel method, etc. Various silicas having particle sizes of several millimicrons to several microns and specific surface areas of about 500 m²/g to 50 m²/g are commercially available and are useful in this invention. Component (5) is a compound which functions as a catalyst to promote the reaction of the individual components. This compound is preferably a siloxane equilibration or silanol condensation catalyst, and is selected from, for example, alkali metal hydroxides, alkali metal silanolates, alkali metal alkoxides, quaternary ammonium hydroxides and silanolates, quaternary phosphonium hydroxides and silanolates, and the metal salts of organic acids. These compounds are also well known in silicone chemistry, and need not be explained in great detail. Examples of the alkali metal hydroxides are KOH, CsOH, etc. Their reaction with low molecular-weight silicone or silicate, or the partial hydrolyzate thereof, affords an alkali metal silanolate. When said low molecular-weight silicone or silicate corresponds to a component (3), the obtained alkali metal silanolate qualifies as a component (3). As a consequence, as long as the quantity of addition of said alkali metal silanolate satisfies the quantity requirement for component (3), a separate compound serving as component (3) need not be added. The alkali metal alkoxides are the products of the reaction of an alkali metal hydroxide as above with an alcohol having one to five carbon atoms. Quaternary ammonium hydroxides are, for example, beta-hydroxyethyltrimethylammonium hydroxide, benzyltrimethylammonium hydroxide, tetramethylammonium hydroxide, etc. Quaternary phosphonium hydroxides are, for example, tetramethylphosphonium hydroxide and tetraethylphosphonium hydroxide. The metal salts of organic acids include dibutyltin dilaurate, stannous acetate, stannous octanoate, lead naphthenate, zinc octanoate, iron 2-ethylhexanoate, cobalt naphthenate, etc. Component (6) is selected from compounds containing in each molecule at least one group ≡COR⁵, -COOR⁶ or -(OR⁷) n -. In component (6) R⁵ and R⁶ are the hydrogen atom or saturated or unsaturated monovalent hydrocarbon groups, R⁷ is a divalent hydrocarbon group having two to six carbon atoms, and n has an average value 1. The following compounds are listed as exemplary of this component. (i) Alkylene glycols as expressed by wherein R′ and R″ are hydrogen or monovalent hydrocarbon groups, and p + q has an average value ≧1 and as concretely exemplified by polyoxyethylene-polyoxypropylene copolymers etc. (ii) Polyhydric alcohols, such as glycerol, sorbitol, etc., and their condensates. (iii) Carboxylic acids and their esters such as propionic acid, caprylic acid, lauric acid, phthalic acid, acrylic acid, etc., and their esters. Castor oil is also encompassed by this category. (iv) Nonionic surfactants, for example, sorbitan fatty acid esters, sucrose fatty acid esters, (poly)glycerol fatty acid esters, propylene glycol fatty acid esters, polyoxyethylene fatty acid esters, polyoxyethylene alkylphenyl ethers, polyoxyethylene alkylphenyl formaldehyde and its condensates, polyoxyethylene sorbitan fatty acid esters, polyoxyethylene castor oil, polyoxyethylene maleic acid esters, polyoxyethylene alkylamines, polyoxyethylene fatty acid amides, alkylenediamine-polyoxyalkylene condensates, and others. (v) Polyoxyethylene anionic surfactants, for example, polyoxyethylene alkyl ether sulfates, alkyl sulfate alkanolamines, polyoxyethylene alkyl ether phosphate esters, and others. (vi) Polyether-modified silicones which are copolymers of linear or resinous siloxanes with polyoxyalkylene, and, while various substances are included in this category, substances with the following formula are particularly preferred: R‴₃SiO(R‴₂SiO) r (R‴GSiO) s SiR‴₃ wherein the groups R‴ in the formula may be identical or different, and are monovalent hydrocarbon groups with methyl being particularly preferred. G is a polyoxyalkylene group, and r and s are integers. (vii) Nonionic fluorinated surfactants, for example, CF₃(CF₂)₆(OCH₂CH₂)₅OH, CF₃(CF₂)₆(OCH₂CH₂)₅OCH₃, etc. (viii) OH-containing polymeric compounds, for example, hydroxyethylcellulose, hydroxymethylcellulose, carboxymethylcellulose, gum arabic, xanthan gum, and others. These compounds are known and are available commercially, and may be used individually or in combinations of two or more. Component (7) is a polyorganosiloxane having the general formula R⁸ e (R⁹O) f SiO (4-e-f)/2 and having a viscosity at 25°C of 5 x 10⁻⁶ to 2 x 10⁻⁴ m²/s (5 centistokes to 200 centistokes). In the formula for component (7) R⁸ is a monovalent hydrocarbon or halogenated hydrocarbon group having one to ten carbon atoms, R⁹ is the hydrogen atom or a monovalent hydrocarbon group having one to ten carbon atoms, and e + f has a value in the range of 1.9 to 2.2. This polyorganosiloxane is the same as the polyorganosiloxane comprising component (2), with the exceptions that its viscosity at 25°C is 5 x 10⁻⁶ to 2 x 10⁻⁴ m²/s (5 centistokes to 200 centistokes) and f has a value sufficient to provide at least two groups -OR⁹ in each molecule. Particularly preferred polyorganosiloxanes in this regard are hydroxyl-terminated polydimethylsiloxanes having a viscosity of 10⁻⁵ to 5 x 10⁻⁵ m²/s (10 centistokes to 50 centistokes) at 25°C. The silicone defoamer composition of this invention is produced by mixing one or both of the above components (1) and (2) with components (3) through (6) or components (3) through (7) and heating them sufficiently to cause a reaction thereamong. Alternatively, the components other than component (6) are first mixed and reacted with heating, followed by the addition and reaction of component (6). In this stage, the quantity of addition of each component is as follows. For components (1) and (2), the quantity of addition is within the ranges of 0 to 100 weight parts for component (1), and 0 to 100 weight parts for component (2), and the combined quantity of components (1) and (2) is 100 weight parts. For component (3) and the subsequent components, the following amounts are given per 100 weight parts of the combined quantity of components (1) plus (2): component (3), 0.2 to 20 weight parts and preferably 1 to 7 weight parts; component (4), 0.2 to 30 weight parts and preferably 1 to 15 weight parts; component (5), a catalytic quantity of the catalytically active component, generally 0.01 to 1 weight part; component (6), 0.2 weight parts and preferably 0.5 weight parts; component (7), 0.5 to 100 weight parts and preferably 1 to 20 weight parts. The compounding ratio between components (1) and (2) is substantially affected by their respective viscosities, and a high-viscosity (around that of a gum) component (2) should be used in combination with a low-viscosity component (1). The preferred compounding ratio will provide a viscosity at 25°C within the range of 3.5 x 10⁻⁴ to 0.1 m²/s (350 centistokes to 100,000 centistokes) for their combination. While there is no upper limit on the proportion of component (6), it is preferably 200 weight parts for economic reasons. While the prescribed quantities of the above components are to be simply mixed as appropriate, the components other than component (4) should be mixed first, followed by the mixing of component (4) to homogeneity using dispersion means such as a homomixer, colloid mill, three-roll, etc. This mixture is preferably heated to 100°C to 300°C or at or above the melting point of component (6), and reacted for 1 to 24 hours depending on the temperature. The reaction at this point is a reaction among components (1), (2), (3), (4), and (6), and also component (7) when present. While its details remain unclear, it is certain that a reaction develops upon heating because a defoamer composition cannot be obtained from the unheated mixture of the individual components. This mixing and heating process is preferably conducted under an inert gas from the standpoints of safety and removal of the volatiles, such as for example, unreacted substances, by-products, etc. The order of mixing, heating temperature, and heating time are not critical or rigorously specified in the execution of the present invention, and can be varied as appropriate. The silicone defoamer composition produced by means of the present invention may be used as such, or may be dispersed in an appropriate solvent and used as a solution, or may be used as an emulsion by means of the application of the known emulsifying technology. It retains an excellent defoaming activity for long periods of time, and in particular has a superb effect in anionic foaming systems. The present invention will be explained in the following using illustrative examples, but is not limited to the examples. Example 1 318 g trimethylsilyl-terminated polydimethylsiloxane having a viscosity of 10⁻³ m²/s (1,000 centistokes) at 25°, 180 g silanol-terminated polydimethylsiloxane having a viscosity of 12,500 centistokes at 25°C, and 18 g polyethyl silicate (Silicate 45 from Tama Kagaku Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha) were placed in a 1 L three-neck flask equipped with a stirrer, thermometer, and means for the supply and discharge of nitrogen gas. This was then heated with stirring after the addition of 6 g polyoxyethylene (POE)-polyoxypropylene (POP) copolymer (MW = 3,500, POE/POP = 10/90, hydroxyl terminated). Upon reaching 130°C to 140°C, 3 g catalyst was added and heating and stirring were continued. The catalyst was prepared in advance by reacting 90 g trimethylsilyl-terminated polydimethylsiloxane 10⁻³ m²/s (1,000 centistokes at 25°C) with 10 g KOH at 120°C for 15 minutes. 18 g silica (Aerosil #200 from Nippon Aerosil Kabushiki Kaisha, specific surface = 200 m²/g) and 30 g silanol-terminated polydimethylsiloxane 4 x 10⁻⁵ m²/s (40 centistokes at 25°C) were then added and dispersed to homogeneity using a homomixer. After this, a reaction was conducted by heating with stirring at 180°C for 4 hours. The obtained reaction product was heated at 180°C/40 mmHg for 1 hour in order to remove unreacted materials and reaction by-products. Cooling to room temperature afforded a thick, light yellow silicone defoamer composition. The entire process was conducted under a nitrogen gas purge. Comparison Example 1 A comparison composition (composition A) was prepared by following the procedure of Example 1, with the exceptions that 378 g trimethylsilyl-terminated polydimethylsiloxane was added and no polyoxyethylene-polyoxypropylene copolymer was added. Example 2 500 g composition A (prepared in Comparison Example 1), polyoxyethylene-polyoxypropylene copolymer (POE-POP copolymer, quantity and type reported in Table 2), and 1.5 g catalyst as in Example 1 were charged to the same type of reactor as in Example 1. After mixing to homogeneity in a homomixer, the mixture in each case was heated with stirring and a reaction was carried out at 180°C for 1 hour. Thick, light-yellow silicone defoamer compositions were obtained. The entire process was conducted under a nitrogen gas purge in each case. Comparison Example 2 Comparison compositions were produced by the procedure of Example 2 with the exception that heating was simply carried out without the addition of catalyst. Example 3 Following the procedure of Example 2, silicone defoamer compositions according to the invention were prepared using the compounds in Table 3 in place of the POE-POP copolymer. Example 4 Following the procedure of Example 2, silicone defoamer compositions of the invention were prepared using the polyether-modified silicones described in Table 4 in place of the POE-POP copolymer. These polyether-modified silicones have the following formula. Example 5 Silicone defoamer compositions according to the invention were produced by the procedure of Example 2, but using the hydroxyl-containing polymer compounds specified in Table 5 in place of the POE-POP copolymer. Example 6 384 g trimethylsilyl-terminated polydimethylsiloxane having a viscosity of 10⁻³ m²/s (1,000 centistokes) at 25° and 50 g siloxane resin composed of the (CH₃)₃SiO 1/2 and SiO₂ units ((CH₃)₃SiO 1/2 unit to SiO₂ unit ratio within the range of 0.4/1 to 1.2/1) were mixed to homogeneity with stirring in a 1 L beaker. 70 g hydroxyl-terminated polydimethylsiloxane having a viscosity of 4 x 10⁻⁵ m²/s (40 centistokes) at 25°C and 6 g polyoxyethylene-polyoxypropylene copolymer as in Example 1 were then added. After stirring for several minutes, 3 g catalyst as in Example 1 was added, and heating was begun. After heating to 130 to 140°C, 30 g silica as in Example 1 was dispersed to homogeneity using a homomixer. A reaction was then conducted for 2 hours at 230°C using the same set up as in Example 1. The obtained reaction product was heated for 1 hour at 180°C/40 mmHg in order to remove volatile unreacted material and reaction by-products. Cooling to room temperature afforded a silicone defoamer composition of the present invention. Method for Testing Defoaming Properties Each composition prepared as above was emulsified using the following recipe in order to prepare the 10% emulsions. Defoamer composition 10.0 weight parts Polyoxyethylene monostearic acid ester 1.4 weight parts Glycerol fatty acid ester 1.2 weight parts Hydroxyethylcellulose 1.5 weight parts Antiseptic 0.1 weight parts Water remainder Total 100.0 weight parts Each emulsion was subjected to shaking, under the conditions described below, using a barrel wrist-action shaker for 10 seconds in order to measure the time ( t ) in seconds from immediately after the termination of shaking to extinction of the large foam, and the time ( T ) in seconds required for the liquid surface to appear. After this, t and T were similarly measured after shaking for 40 seconds, and shaking and measurement were repeated in succession for shaking times of 60, 120, 180, and 180 seconds. The results for each example ( t / T ) are reported in Tables 1 through 6. Shaking Conditions Test container: 200 mL glass bottle Foaming liquid: 100 mL of a 0.25 wt% aqueous (distilled water) solution of sodium dodecylbenzenesulfonate Amount of defoamer added: quantity giving 200 ppm of composition or 200 ppm of silicone fraction Number of shakes: 350 cycles per minute Test temperature: 25°C The results in Tables 1 through 6 make it clear that the method of the invention produces a silicone defoamer composition having an excellent defoaming effect.

Claims: A method for the preparation of a silicone defoamer composition, said method comprising heating, at a temperature of from about 50°C to 300°C, a mixture comprising (1) 0 to 100 weight parts polyorganosiloxane having a viscosity at 25°C of 2 x 10⁻⁵ to 0.1 m²/s (20 centistokes to 100,000 centistokes) and the general formula R¹ a SiO (4-a)/2 wherein R¹ is a monovalent hydrocarbon or halogenated hydrocarbon group having one to ten carbon atoms, and a has an average value of 1.9 to 2.2; (2) 0 to 100 weight parts polyorganosiloxane having a viscosity at 25°C of 2 x 10⁻⁴ to several m²/s (200 centistokes to several million centistokes) and the general formula R² b (R³O) c SiO (4-b-c)/2 wherein R² is a monovalent hydrocarbon or halogenated hydrocarbon group having one to ten carbon atoms, R³ is the hydrogen atom or a monovalent hydrocarbon group having one to ten carbon atoms, the average value of b + c is 1.9 to 2.2 c is a value sufficient to provide at least one group -OR³ in each molecule, and at least one group -OR³ is present at a molecular terminal, the combined quantity of components (1) and (2) being 100 weight parts; (3) 0.2 to 20 weight parts, per 100 weight parts of the combined quantity of components (1) and (2), of at least one compound selected from the following (i) through (iv): (i) organosilicon compounds with the general formula R⁴ d SiX 4-d wherein R⁴ is a saturated or unsaturated monovalent hydrocarbon group having one to five carbon atoms, X is a hydrolyzable group, and the average value of d is ≦1, (ii) the partial hydrolysis condensates of compounds (i), (iii) siloxane resins essentially composed of (CH₃)₃SiO 1/2 units and SiO₂ units in which the ratio of (CH₃)₃SiO 1/2 units to SiO₂ units is within the range of 0.4/1 to 1.2/1, and (iv) the condensates of compounds (i) or (ii) with compounds (iii); (4) 0.2 to 30 weight parts, per 100 weight parts of the combined quantity of components (1) and (2), of a finely divided filler; (5) an effective amount of a reaction catalyst; and (6) at least 0.2 weight parts, per 100 weight parts of the combined quantity of components (1) and (2), of at least one compound having in each molecule at least 1 group expressed by ≡COR⁵, -COOR⁶ or -(OR⁷) n - wherein R⁵ and R⁶ are the hydrogen atom or saturated or unsaturated monovalent hydrocarbon groups, R⁷ is a divalent hydrocarbon group having two to six carbon atoms, and the average value of n is ≧1. A method according to claim 1 wherein component (1), when present, is a trimethylsilyl-terminated polydimethylsiloxane having a viscosity of from 10⁻⁴ to 1.5 x 10⁻² m²/s (100 centistokes to 15,000 centistokes) at 25°C, component (2), when present, is a hydroxyl-terminated polydimethylsiloxane having a viscosity of from 5 x 10⁻⁴ to 5 x 10⁻² m²/s (500 centistokes to 50,000 centistokes) at 25°C and component (4) is a finely divided silica. A method according to claim 1 wherein the components, other than component (4), are first mixed and reacted with heating, followed by the addition and reaction of component (4). A method according to claim 1 wherein the components, other than component (6), are first mixed and reacted with heating, followed by the addition and reaction of component (6). A method according to claim 1 wherein the mixture of components (1) and (2) has a viscosity at 25°C of from 3.5 x 10⁻⁴ to 0.1 m²/s (350 centistokes to 100,000 centistokes) for their combination. A method according to claim 1, wherein the mixture also contains (7) 0.5 to 100 weight parts, per 100 weight parts of the combined quantity of components (1) and (2), of a polyorganosiloxane having a viscosity at 25°C of 5 x 10⁻⁶ to 2 x 10⁻⁴ m²/s (5 centistokes to 200 centistokes) and the general formula R⁸ e (R⁹O) f SiO (4-e-f)/2 wherein R⁸ is a monovalent hydrocarbon or halogenated hydrocarbon group having one to ten carbon atoms, R⁹ is the hydrogen atom or a monovalent hydrocarbon group having one to ten carbon atoms, the average value of e + f is 1.9 to 2.2 f has a value sufficient to provide at least two groups -OR⁹ in each molecule, and at least one group -OR⁹ is present at a molecular terminal. A method according to claim 6 wherein component (1), when present, is a trimethylsilyl-terminated polydimethylsiloxane having a viscosity of from 10⁻⁴ to 1.5 x 10⁻² m²/s (100 centistokes to 15,000 centistokes) at 25°C, component (2), when present, is a hydroxyl-terminated polydimethylsiloxane having a viscosity of from 5 x 10⁻⁴ to 5 x 10⁻² m²/s (500 centistokes to 50,000 centistokes) at 25°C, component (4) is a finely divided silica and component (7) is a hydroxyl-terminated polydimethylsiloxane having a viscosity of from 10⁻⁵ to 5 x 10⁻⁵ m²/s (10 centistokes to 50 centistokes) at 25°C. A method according to claim 6 wherein the components, other than component (4), are first mixed and reacted with heating, followed by the addition and reaction of component (4). A method according to claim 6 wherein the components, other than component (6), are first mixed and reacted with heating, followed by the addition and reaction of component (6). A method according to claim 1 wherein the mixture of components (1) and (2) has a viscosity at 25°C of from 3.5 x 10⁻⁴ to 0.1 m²/s (350 centistokes to 100,000 centistokes) for their combination.

Inventors: MIURA, TAKAHIRO
Applicants: DOW CORNING KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Application year: 1987
Main classification: B01D19
IPC codes: B01D19