Abstract: Clear microemulsions are formed spontaneously by combining (i) water; (ii) a volatile siloxane; (iii) a long chain or high molecular weight silicone polyether; and, as an optional ingredient, (iv) a cosurfactant such as a monohydroxy alcohol, an organic diol, an organic triol, an organic tetraol, a silicone diol, a silicone triol, a silicone tetraol, and a nonionic organic surfactant. In an alternate embodiment, a non-volatile siloxane is included as an ingredient, and the silicone polyether is a long chain or high molecular weight silicone polyether, or a short chain or low molecular weight silicone polyether.

Abstract: Clear microemulsions are formed spontaneously by combining (i) water; (ii) a volatile siloxane; (iii) a long chain or high molecular weight silicone polyether; and, as an optional ingredient, (iv) a cosurfactant such as a monohydroxy alcohol, an organic diol, an organic triol, an organic tetraol, a silicone diol, a silicone triol, a silicone tetraol, and a nonionic organic surfactant. In an alternate embodiment, a non-volatile siloxane is included as an ingredient, and the silicone polyether is a long chain or high molecular weight silicone polyether, or a short chain or low molecular weight silicone polyether.

Abstract: Spontaneously formed highly stable clear water-in-oil microemulsions containing only small amounts of water can be prepared by combining and simply hand shaking (i) 0.1 to 9 percent by weight of water; (ii) greater than 80 percent by weight of a volatile cyclic alkyl siloxane or volatile linear alkyl siloxane; and (iii) 3 to 10 percent by weight of certain silicone polyether surfactants. The microemulsions are useful in personal care applications.

Abstract: Clear microemulsions are formed spontaneously without mixing, stirring, shearing, or input of mechanical energy for agitating ingredients used in making microemulsions, by simply combining (i) water; (ii) a volatile siloxane; (iii) a long chain or high molecular weight silicone polyether; and, as an optional ingredient, (iv) a cosurfactant such as a monohydroxy alcohol, an organic diol, an organic triol, an organic tetraol, a silicone diol, a silicone triol, a silicone tetraol, and a nonionic organic surfactant. In an alternate embodiment, a non-volatile siloxane is included as an ingredient, and the silicone polyether is a long chain or high molecular weight silicone polyether, or a short chain or low molecular weight silicone polyether.

Abstract: This invention relates to an optically clear one-phase microemulsion which is transparent at a temperature range of from 0-70° C. comprising (i) at least one non-aqueous polar solvent, (ii) at least one non-polar solvent immiscible with (i), and (iii) at least one oxyalkylene-containing polydiorganosiloxane. The microemulsions of this invention are useful as delivery vehicles for personal care active ingredients such as antiperspirant salts, sunscreens, alpha-hydroxy fatty acids, and Vitamin E.

Abstract: Emulsions and latexes containing polymer particles with a diameter greater than 0.02 micron are prepared by (i) forming a microemulsion containing particles of oligomers with a diameter less than 0.02 micron by combining water, a surfactant, a hydride functional organosilicon oligomer or a mixture of such oligomers, and an alkenyl functional organosilicon oligomer or a mixture of such oligomers; (ii) adding a catalyst to the microemulsion; (iii) initiating polymerization of the oligomers; and (iv) continuing polymerization until an emulsion or latex is formed containing polymer particles with a diameter greater than 0.02 micron.

Abstract: Emulsions and latexes containing polymer particles with a diameter greater than 0.02 micron are prepared by (i) forming a microemulsion containing particles of oligomers with a diameter less than 0.02 micron by combining water, a surfactant, a hydride functional organosilicon oligomer or a mixture of such oligomers, and an alkenyl functional organosilicon oligomer or a mixture of such oligomers; (ii) adding a catalyst to the microemulsion; (iii) initiating polymerization of the oligomers; and (iv) continuing polymerization until an emulsion or latex is formed containing polymer particles with a diameter greater than 0.02 micron.

Abstract: A clear single phase composition contains 40-95% by weight of a cyclic or short chain linear methyl siloxane and water, and 5-60% by weight of a cationic surfactant and a nonionic surfactant. The cyclic or short chain linear methyl siloxane in the single phase composition has an average structure or droplet diameter of less than about 50 nanometer. The single phase composition spontaneously provides optically clear one phase silicone microemulsions when combined with only hand agitation. The clear single phase compositions are useful in personal care and textile applications.

Abstract: A method of entrapping a water-soluble substance in vesicles formed from a surface active siloxane is carried out by dissolving the substance to be entrapped in water, adding the surface active siloxane, mildly agitating the mixture, and removing excess water and substance. Water-insoluble substances are entrapped in the vesicles by dissolving the substance to be entrapped in the surface active siloxane, and mildly agitating the substance and the siloxane. The surface active siloxanes consist essentially of tetravalent SiO.sub.2 units, and monovalent R.sub.3 SiO.sub.1/2 and R'R.sub.2 SiO.sub.1/2 units. The ratio of monovalent units to tetravalent units is from 0.4/1 to 2/1, and from 40 to 90% of all monovalent units are R'R.sub.2 SiO.sub.1/2 units. R is a monovalent hydrocarbon group with up to eight carbon atoms, and R' is a polyoxyalkylene group.

Abstract: A method of spontaneously forming a highly stable clear microemulsion by combining (i) water; (ii) a volatile cyclic methyl siloxane or volatile linear methyl siloxane; and (iii) a silicone polyether surfactant. The amounts of each component are such that the composition is in the form of a microemulsion. The volatile methyl siloxane is present in the microemulsion in the form of particles having an average diameter of less than about 100 nanometers. The microemulsion is useful in personal care products.

Abstract: A method of spontaneously forming a highly stable clear microemulsion by combining (i) water; (ii) a volatile cyclic methyl siloxane or volatile linear methyl siloxane; and (iii) a silicone polyether surfactant. The amounts of each component are such that the composition is in the form of a microemulsion. The volatile methyl siloxane is present in the microemulsion in the form of particles having an average diameter of less than about 100 nanometers. The microemulsion is useful in personal care products.