The development journey of silicone softeners abroad can be traced back to the 1950s, going through multiple stages from initial exploration to technological maturity.

Initially, people began to experiment with impregnating fabrics using organosilicon compounds such as dimethyldichlorosilane to achieve a certain degree of water repellency. As research deepened, companies like General Electric (GE) and Dow Corning successively developed silicone softeners with better water repellency and breathability. These softeners were primarily based on polysiloxanes and through various chemical modifications, they not only imparted softness to the fabrics but also provided good wash resistance and stability.

However, early silicone softeners had issues such as weak bonding with the fabrics and poor wash resistance. To overcome these shortcomings, researchers began exploring new modification methods. The second generation of silicone softeners, such as hydroxyl-terminated silicone oil emulsions, significantly improved the softness and wash resistance of fabrics by forming a cross-linked network structure. However, these softeners had relatively single functions and were prone to problems such as emulsion breaking and oil floating during use, thus they were not widely applied.

With continuous technological advancements, the third generation of silicone softeners emerged. These softeners greatly improved the softness and comprehensive performance of fabrics by introducing other segments or active groups, such as polyether groups and epoxy groups, onto the main chain or side chains of polysiloxanes. At the same time, different groups could impart different styles to the fabrics, meeting the diverse needs of the market.

Currently, foreign silicone softeners have entered the fourth generation of development. This generation of softeners has undergone further modifications based on the third generation, introducing more active groups, and can meet the processing needs of fabrics in various aspects without the need for compounding. Fabrics treated with modified silicone softeners containing multiple active groups have significantly improved softness, wash resistance, elasticity, and hydrophilicity, and have become the mainstream direction of current silicone softener development.

In summary, the development journey of silicone softeners abroad is a history of continuous exploration and innovation, with the emergence of each generation of softeners driving the progress and development of the textile industry.