Softener

Name:
Softener
Detailed information:
(1) A substance used when dry powders are added to a polymeric material (e.g., rubber or plastic) to reduce the friction of mechanical mixing and to facilitate subsequent processing. It exerts both lubricating and dispersing action, often by means of emulsification. Examples are vegetable oils, asphaltic materials, and stearic acid, the latter being especially effective with carbon black. It is difficult to distinguish precisely between softeners and plasticizers; in general, softeners do not enter into chemical combination with the polymer, and their softening effect tends to be temporary.(2) A fatliquoring agent used to soften leather.(3) A sulfonated oil, fatty alcohol, or quaternary ammonium compound used in textile finishing to impart superior “hand” to the fabric and facilitate mechanical processing.(4) A substance that reduces the hardness of water by removing or sequestering calcium and magnesium ions; among those used are various sodium phosphates and zeolites.See Water, Hard.