Siloxanes

These materials are nonflammable.

Siloxanes are not particularly reactive materials. They will undergo oxidation and reduction reactions under severe conditions or by very strong oxidizers or reducers. Otherwise they are relatively inert substances.

These materials are generally nontoxic.

Compounds with silicon bound to oxygen, generally with organic groups linked to the silicon atoms, (R3-Si-O-Si-R3 where R is an organic group). Polymerized siloxanes with organic side chains (R - H) are commonly known as silicones or as polysiloxanes. Representative examples are [SiO(CH3)2]n (polydimethylsiloxane) and [SiO(C6H5)2]n (polydiphenylsiloxane). These compounds can be viewed as a hybrid of both organic and inorganic compounds. The organic side chains confer hydrophobic properties while the -Si-O-Si-O- backbone is purely inorganic.

Siloxanes can be found in products such as cosmetics, deodorant, defoamers, water repelling windshield coating, lubricants, molded lenses for high-powered LED's, food additives and some soaps. They are being evaluated as environmentally preferable alternatives to perchloroethylene for dry cleaning.

Asbestos, dimethyldiethoxysilane, ethyl silicate, methylsilatrane, polydimethylsiloxane, polydiphenylsiloxane, sodium aluminosilicate.