Developing silicones that are friendlier toward health and the environment

Peer-Reviewed Publication

CNRS

 

IMAGE: SILICONE SYNTHESIS EQUATION DEVELOPED BY THE RESEARCH TEAM (ECOIH/LHFA). view more 

CREDIT: © TSUYOSHI KATO/CNRS

Polysiloxanes, the scientific name for silicones, possess exceptional properties, and are used in numerous fields ranging from cosmetics to aerospace. They are absolutely everywhere! However, they have a major flaw, as small, cyclic oligosolixanes—toxic for the environment and identified as an endocrine disruptor—form during their synthesis. To correct this drawback, a team of scientists1 led by a CNRS researcher recently developed a new process for synthesising silicones in a cleaner and more environmentally-friendly manner by preventing the formation of these small cyclic oligosolixanes. The results will appear in Science on 1 September, and could have a considerable impact on the industrial sector.

1. From the Fundamental and Applied Heterochemistry Laboratory (CNRS/Université de Toulouse Paul Sabatier), the company Elkem Silicones, and the Chemistry Department of the Autonomous University of Barcelona.

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JOURNAL

Science

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Experimental study

ARTICLE TITLE

Ring-opening polymerization of cyclic oligosiloxanes without producing cyclic oligomers