Auto Polish

Auto Care Formulation Information

1. Introduction
The word “polish” is a non-specific name but may be defined as any product that enhances
and protects the painted surface of an automobile by depositing a thin layer or film of
material. More specifically, the name polish is assigned to a product with particular
properties, as listed below. Polishes may contain many different ingredients and come in
various forms that contribute to a range of final product properties. It is essential to choose
the correct ingredients and form to satisfy customers’ needs for specific applications. The
following information should assist in making those choices.
Silicones are used to improve a number of auto polish properties, including:
• Ease of application
• Polish cleaning ability
• Ease of buffing
• Gloss
• Color intensity
• Durability and detergent resistance
• Water repellency
The best choice of silicone will depend on the relative importance of the properties above.
This is because a polish is essentially a compromise of all the properties.
2. Polish types
Polishes can be described in terms of their physical form, carrier system, ability to clean
and durability. Physical forms of polishes include pastes, pre-softened pastes (non-flowing
emulsions), liquids and gels. There are three types of carrier system:
AV09029

2.1. Water-free polishes

Where the active ingredients are dissolved in a compatible carrier such as a hydrocarbon
solvent.
2.2. Emulsion polishes
Combining two incompatible phases (hydrocarbon solvent + water) by incorporating a
surfactant to form a bridge between the two phases.
2.3. Solvent-free polishes
Using pre-emulsified materials with the carrier being water.
The ability of a polish to clean depends on the presence of powders and solvents. Powders
clean physically by removing the oxidation layer and smoothing the surface. Solvents

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clean chemically by dissolving the films and dirt present on the surface. Powder-free
polishes, typically referred to as paint conditioners and glazes, are used strictly to provide
gloss and protection. They should be applied only to non-oxidized painted surfaces.
A polish may also be described by its level of durability. Durability ranges from temporary
(a few weeks) to durable films that remain after numerous detergent washes or months
(formerly called “polymer sealants”). To the user, durability is typically judged by a polish’s
ability to sustain water beading.
3. Active ingredients
The term “active ingredient,” as used here, is defined as that part of the polish left behind
in the form of a film on the polished surface after application.
3.1 Silicones
A variety of silicones, including polydimethylsiloxanes, aminofunctional silicones and
silicone resins, are used as active ingredients in polish formulations. Silicone emulsifiers,
waxes and volatile silicones are also used in polish formulations and will be addressed
in other sections.
Polydimethylsiloxane is a nonreactive linear silicone fluid, which is supplied in a number
of viscosities. In the auto polish industry the convention is to classify polydimethyl-
siloxane as either “intermediate” (350-1000 mm2/s) or “high” (above 1000 mm2/s)
viscosity.
Intermediate-viscosity polydimethylsiloxanes are lower in molecular weight. They provide
excellent application ease and rubout, as well as streak resistance. Due to their low surface
tension, they can improve polish cleaning abilities by increasing the surface wettability.
This enables a more direct contact between the powder and the painted surface. They are
very good at spreading and thus provide excellent film continuity. The film provided by
intermediate-viscosity polydimethylsiloxanes, especially at 1000 mm2/s, provides high shine.
High-viscosity polydimethylsiloxanes are much higher in molecular weight. They provide
improvements in durability and provide excellent shine characteristics. However, they are
more likely to cause streaking. In general, solvent-in-water polishes use 50-1000 mm2/s
polydimethylsiloxane, while water-in-solvent polishes enable higher-viscosity polydimethyl-
siloxanes to be used. In polish formulations it is advantageous to use a combination of
high- and intermediate-viscosity fluids favoring the following broad spectrum:
3 : 1 : 1
350 1000 12,500
This helps to optimize shine and durability in comparison to ease of use and film continuity.
Aminofunctional silicone fluids are also used extensively in polishes in both curable
(crosslinking) and noncurable forms. They provide properties similar to the polydimethyl-
siloxanes, but with enhanced durability and detergent resistance, particularly with the
curable forms.
One advantage of aminofunctional silicones is that they contain a polar amine group that
provides excellent deposition or surface affinity. This effectively anchors the product to
the substrate. In the case of the curable amine silicones, a reactive alkoxy group under-
goes a condensation reaction that provides a crosslinked film on the substrate. Amino-
functional silicones are available with different viscosities, which allow optimization of
properties for a particular application. They are compatible with other silicone fluids and
resins and therefore may be blended to create the desired polish performance. Fatty acids
may be combined with aminofunctional silicones to improve the corrosion resistance of a
polish film. Stearic or lauric acid is often used for this purpose. These can also crosslink
with acid waxes through the amino group.

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Silicone resins may also be used in polish formulations. These networked silicones are
available either bodied or linear and provide intermediate durability to the polish film.
When used in conjunction with polydimethylsiloxanes, they provide improved durability
with excellent leveling while maintaining similar ease-of-use, shine and water-repellent
characteristics.
3.2 Waxes
Waxes are commonly found in polish formulations. A wide variety of different waxes
are available, including naturally occurring (carnauba), synthetic (silicone wax, poly-
ethylene) and refined (paraffin) waxes. If properly selected, a wax may reduce smear,
improve film continuity (or uniformity), provide durability and promote stability by
acting as a thickener.
Most waxes may be described as either soft or hard wax. Hard waxes, such as carnauba
and polypropylene, tend to have higher melting points. They provide a harder film finish
and promote good gloss, color intensity and durability. However, they are often more
difficult to apply and buff out.
Softer waxes, such as paraffin and beeswax, tend to be better at lubricating, providing
better application in terms of rubout ease and improved spreading. However, soft waxes
provide less shine to the system. In most formulations, it is best to blend a hard wax with
a soft wax to optimize their benefits in the formulation.
A recent innovation has been the introduction of silicone waxes into auto polishes. These
provide a different combination of properties than the traditional waxes. While having a
low melting point, they can provide a film with increased detergent resistance and weather-
ing abilities, especially when combined with functionalized silicones. They provide a dry
film that improves the resistance to dirt pickup, while retaining the application ease,
spreading characteristics and shine associated with softer waxes.
3.3 Solvents
Solvents are another component of most polish systems and can have an impact on the
overall formulation performance. The purpose of the solvent in a polish is to carry the
active ingredients, to “wet” the surface so a uniform film is produced and to clean
the surface. In choosing a solvent, drying rates, combustibility, compatibility with the
surface and compatibility with the packaging must be considered.
It is important to optimize the solvent choice to provide appropriate drying time for the
specific application and actives in the formulation. Too little or too much drying time for a
specific formulation may lead to poor performance by leaving streaks or a discontinuous film
finish. Aliphatic hydrocarbons with Kauri-Butanol values of less than 32 are recommended
for polishes. Examples of these include de-aromatized and isoparaffinic solvents. Solvents
that contain aromatic substances are not recommended for use in these products because
they may damage the surface and may raise flammability, health and environmental issues.
Volatile silicones are an alternative to these traditional solvents. Volatile silicones provide
some unique application properties such as better spreading and lubrication properties
due to their lower surface tension, and improved compatibility with silicones. Different
evaporation rates can be achieved by blending. This allows even deposition of other
ingredients, while their cleaning ability for various deposits is comparable to traditional
solvents. It has been shown that volatile silicones do not contribute to tropospheric ozone
formation. Therefore, volatile silicones are not classified as VOCs in the USA.
3.4 Powders
Powders or polishing agents provide physical surface preparation and cleaning, and aid
leveling of the deposited film. The ability of a powder to clean and smooth out surface
imperfections depends on the particle size, its shape and hardness. The larger and less
uniform the powder particle, the greater the cleaning ability to remove the oxidized paint

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layer. Milder powders are composed of more uniform, smaller particles, which polish
more and clean less, giving greater gloss. These are better suited to surfaces with little or
no oxidation. For cars less than one year old, it may not be necessary to include powders
in the formulation. Most powders contain kaolin clays, diatomaceous earths and hydrated
aluminas such as Sillitin®, Kaopolite®, Diafil® and Alcan® grades.
3.5 Emulsifiers
A polish emulsion may be described by either its emulsion system or its ionic character.
An oil-in-water (o/w) emulsion is a system in which the water is the external or continuous
phase and the oil is in the form of suspended droplets. These can give a better shine than the
other emulsion type, are less flammable and may be considered safer for skin contact.
Water-in-oil (w/o) polishes are popular due to easier processing in some cases and better
cleaning properties. Here the oil is the continuous phase, with the water suspended as
droplets. Emulsifiers for this type of system have a hydrophilic/hydrophobic balance
favoring the oil phase (e.g., silicone emulsifiers). For best results, the water and oil phases
are blended separately, and then the water phase is slowly added to the oil phase using a
mixer that provides high shear. With some formulations it is possible to blend the phases
in a certain order in one vessel.
Silicone emulsifiers represent a unique material for use in water-in-oil polish formulations.
These lipophilic materials produce very stable, shear-thickened emulsions. In addition,
they are thixotropic, providing excellent application ease. The inherent lubricating nature
of the silicone improves rubout. As emulsifiers they can provide better shine than their
organic counterparts due to compatibility with active residual material in the polish film.
Emulsions defined by their ionic character are either anionic, nonionic or cationic. An
anionic emulsion particle shows a net negative charge typical of the formulations, based
on the saponification of a fatty acid such as oleic acid and an alkali. Nonionic emulsions
show no net charge and are typical of the emulsions, based on alcohol ethoxylates.
Cationic emulsion particles have a net positive charge similar to the alkyl quaternary
compounds, giving good wetting and substantivity properties as well as synergy with
silicones.
The key to making stable polishes is using the right level of emulsifier, correct HLB
value and chemical type for the system – with the ingredients added in the proper order.
Oleic acid and a volatile amine can be used together because this combination leaves no
residual surfactant on the surface and therefore avoids re-emulsification. Substituting a
higher-molecular-weight fatty acid, such as stearic, for the oleic can increase the emulsion
viscosity and improve stability.
3.6 Thickeners
A variety of thickeners are commonly used in polish formulations to provide better
stability and improved consistency. For maximum efficiency, the external phase should be
thickened with no more thickener used than necessary.
In a water-in-oil system, a solvent-based thickener such as bentonite clay can be used.
This will increase the viscosity and improve the product consistency as well as reduce the
phase separation. The presence of aminofunctional silicones provides a richer, thicker end
product with this emulsion type.
With oil-in-water formulations, the aqueous phase may be thickened with natural gums,
cellulose gums or acrylic acid polymers. Magnesium aluminum silicates provide
minimum thickening, but tend to reduce powder settlement. This is of particular benefit
in spray-and-wipe formulations where lower viscosity is desired.

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3.7 Biocides
Microbes can spoil polishes, causing breakdown of the product as indicated by a color change
or offensive odor. Microbes can also affect the packaging of the polish by distorting the
container. Microbial testing must be undertaken to verify whether the product needs
protecting.
3.8 Miscellaneous
Other additives may be added to the polish as desired. For example, coloring agents can
be added to shade the polish, while fragrances give an attractive smell. Both are typically
incorporated at 0.1-0.2% by weight (higher levels of fragrance can affect stability). In
other situations the coloring agent (pigment or dye) is added in larger amounts to create
“colored polishes.” Other resins, such as acrylic and polyurethane, can be incorporated at
low levels to increase the immediate water resistance (not repellency). However, compat-
ibility needs to be determined.
4. Formulation tips
4.1 Stability problems
4.1.1 Oil-in-water polishes
Many different stability problems occur in oil-in-water polishes, but the most common
ones can be remedied fairly easily. One such problem occurs when the emulsifying system
is the reaction product of a reactive amine source with a fatty acid. If there is interference
with this reaction, there will be insufficient surfactant to emulsify the internal phase. It
is advisable to combine the reactants in the same phase (usually the oil phase) and allow
them to pre-react before adding reactive ingredients such as aminofunctional silicones or
neutralizing agents. Problems also occur when the amine content of silicones or other
ingredients is too great, as this tends to favor water-in-oil emulsions and can actually
prevent oil-in-water polishes from forming properly.
If the emulsion forms, but is prone to settling or breaking, thickening the emulsion will
often enhance the stability. This may be accomplished by thickening the external phase
with gums or acrylic acid polymers.
4.1.2 Water-in-oil polishes
Probably the most common type of instability in water-in-oil polishes is “oiling out” of
the phases. This condition occurs because of the natural tendency of the less dense
solvents to collect at the top of the polish, but can normally be redispersed by agitation
such as shaking. To eliminate this tendency, the emulsion can be made extra thick to
reduce the mobility of the phases. Alternatively, steps can be taken to make the phases
more compatible, for example by adding a hydrophilic co-surfactant.
Also, applying more shear will reduce the particle size of the emulsion and thicken the
polish. It is possible, however, to overshear the polish and make the particles too small,
consuming the surfactant and contributing to instability. When using silicone emulsifiers,
adding 0.5-1.0 of a water-soluble electrolyte, such as sodium citrate, in the water phase
can substantially enhance stability.
4.2 Performance issues
4.2.1 Streaking problems
Streaking is generally defined as marks or imperfections in the polish film that are
immovable, or hard to move, with simple rubbing. In extreme cases streaking appears as
harder swirl marks where the polish was originally applied. Generally there are two main
causes for streaking:
• The film-forming ingredients cannot level and spread well.
• The film-forming ingredients interfere with each other.

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The first cause is usually manifested by insufficient drying time, improper solvent choice
or improper application conditions. Allowing too little or too much drying time can have
negative effects on the polish film. It is important to choose appropriate solvents as well
as the proper phase ratios (water phase versus oil phase) to provide a drying time that allows
the polish active ingredients to wet out to a thin, uniform film.
Polishes that dry too quickly tend to leave a film that varies in thickness over the surface.
This creates a film with poor gloss properties because the actives do not have time to wet
out prior to solvent evaporation. This is especially the case for higher-viscosity and
reactive silicones.
Polishes that are left to dry for too long may also yield a non-uniform film with poor gloss
and color enhancement. This is because after the solvent has evaporated, the remaining
actives cannot be buffed to a smooth finish – especially if the materials have begun to
crosslink and anchor to the surface. Environmental conditions (primarily temperature and
humidity) affect the required drying times; on warm surfaces the solvent evaporates too
quickly for reactive polymers to wet out. It is important to consider these factors when
choosing the solvent or solvent blend for your formulation. In most cases a polydimethyl-
siloxane will be more flexible than a reactive polymer and can accommodate a variety of
drying times. If these measures do not eliminate the problem, then a wetting agent should
be tried at low dosage levels, typically 0.1-0.3%. Silicone polyethers are effective wetting
agents used in small quantities; they reduce the tendency to re-emulsify, and they avoid
incompatibility problems.
The second cause of streaking (i.e., the film-forming ingredients interfering with each other)
can be more difficult to resolve. An approach would be to eliminate each ingredient in turn
to determine the source of the interference. Sometimes the final film may be compatible,
but in getting to that film, there may be stages where ingredients interfere with each other
and cause streaking. In this case, choosing coalescing solvents that help solubilize all of
the active ingredients can help.
Finally, it must be said that streaking is not an easy problem to solve, so plenty of
persistence is required.
4.2.2 Smearing
Smearing is the tendency of a polish film to be too mobile. This can contribute to a more
hazy appearance, and show fingerprints or an oily look. Smearing is usually caused by
overdeposition of higher-viscosity active ingredients. One solution is to reduce the level
of high-viscosity ingredients such as silicones and other materials, or change the ratio of
low- and high-viscosity actives. The choice and level of powders can play a significant
part in the amount of material left behind on the surface. This can be optimized by trying
to incrementally increase or decrease powder and active levels, but this too is a bit of a
balancing act and requires perseverance. Every ingredient added or subtracted in a
formulation can affect the final properties and physical form of a polish.
4.2.3 Gloss and color
These properties are a function of several factors of a formulation as well as the conditions
and surface where it is applied. Gloss can be measured by reflectance properties and clarity
of image, while color is assessed from such factors as hue, lightness and saturation.
“Clarity of image” is how well the finish shows details of the reflected image. A common
way to assess clarity is to hold a ruler or printed page perpendicular to the surface of the
paint and observe the reflected markings and letters on the paint. This is usually affected
by how smooth the surface is. A film-former that is smeary can cause unevenness in the
image and can distort the image. However, a film-former that is too rigid, or one that dried
too quickly, can cause a spotty or mottled deposition, also resulting in distortion. Clarity
can be improved by blending different film-formers, by choosing slower- or faster-drying
solvents, or by using a very fine grade of powder to polish the surface to a smooth finish.

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Color intensity is often referred to as “jetting” or “wet look” and is influenced by the
type of film-former used. Thicker films (e.g., higher-viscosity silicones) will usually help
the jetting, but this can be carried too far and result in smearing. Hard waxes have the
same benefits and problems as high-viscosity silicones but have the disadvantage of being
difficult to buff. In some instances, where a high level of reactive silicones or hard waxes
is used, it is possible for some of the powder residues to be trapped in the film and left on
the surface. This reduces the wet look.
4.2.4 Durability versus ease of use
Waxes were the first reasonably durable polish components and were applied from solvent
over the surface, then buffed to a smooth appearance. The harder the wax the better the
durability but the harder it was to buff. Polydimethylsiloxanes were introduced to help
lubricate waxes and allowed easier buffing, but these compromised durability. The solution
was curable silicones, which allow easy application, spreading and buffing. They then
cure in place and become more durable.
The curable silicones used in automotive polishes are normally aminofunctional ones.
The requirement is to apply as much as needed for good durability while retaining good
gloss and ease of use. Low-viscosity aminofunctional silicones are more reactive and
more durable, but do not provide significant levels of gloss or lubricity. By blending with
higher-viscosity aminofunctional silicones or polydimethylsiloxanes, the best balance of
durability and ease of use can be achieved.
The typical ratio of reactive amino-silicones used in traditional polishes is 4 to 6 parts
high viscosity to 1 part lower viscosity. This balance can be adjusted to affect ease of
application, buffing, gloss and durability. Small, incremental changes are best, because
altering one property can affect another.
5. Notes on formulations shown
5.1. Unless stated, all quantities are in percentage parts by weight.
5.2. All formulations are for illustrative purposes only and have been subjected to limited
stability tests. You should perform your own stability and performance tests.
5.3. While Dow Corning endeavors to provide-up-to-date information on all the toxicological
aspects of its products, it cannot provide such information on other ingredients mentioned
in the formulations. As the formulations themselves have not been subjected to safety
tests, formulators must satisfy themselves that their final products are safe and compliant
with current legislation.
5.4. Note that these are representative formulations only and are not commercialized
products. Information and data contained in the formulations are based on information
Dow Corning believes to be reliable, but Dow Corning does not warrant merchantability,
fitness for use, performance or efficacy. It is the formulator’s obligation to test any
application and to conclude satisfactory performance and safety tests before commercial-
ization. Suggestions of uses should not be taken as inducements to infringe any particular
patent.
5.5. Please note that certain aminofunctional siloxanes can display acute toxicity via
aerosol inhalational exposure. Safety data sheets should be referred to before handling
and formulating with these products.
5.6. Soft water should be used for all formulations.
5.7. Biocides have not been shown but all formulations should be subjected to microbial
testing. Coloring agents and fragrances may also be included at low addition levels.

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The developed polishes presented by Dow Corning have been formulated to satisfy one of
the requirements in the table below:
Condition of Painted Surface
New Good Slightly Weathered
Abrasive 0-5% 5-12% 10-15%
Durable Wax Conditioner Poly Sealant Liquid Poly Sealant Paste
Semi-durable Hard Wax “Polish” –
Temporary Instant – –

6. Tire care and protectants

Tire dressings, also known as tire renovators, and protectants, also known as vinyl
dressings, have the purpose of enhancing the appearance of rubber and plastic surfaces.
These products can be water- or solvent-based. Protectants are typically water-based
products. Silicone emulsions made of polydimethylsiloxane fluids can be combined to
achieve desired gloss levels. It is recommended to start with emulsions made of
intermediate-viscosity fluids and use emulsions made of high-viscosity fluids to improve
depth of gloss. Aminofunctional silicone emulsions can be incorporated to impart
durability to these products. Notice that some aminofunctional silicone emulsions have
cationic surfactants. Choose nonionic or cationic emulsions when combining with these
emulsions.
The recommended silicone actives content for tire dressings and protectants formulations
is 15-25%.
Silicone polyethers such as XIAMETER® OFX-5211 Superwetting Agent can be utilized
to enhance wetting properties for these products. The recommendation is to use 0.1-0.3%
depending on how difficult to wet the surface is.
Elastomer emulsions and dispersions, silicone polyethers, and silicone waxes can help to
create innovative look and feel finishes such as soft or dry feel. These types of silicones
can help to formulate non-oily-feel products.
Solvent-based tire dressings can be formulated following the recommended ratios found
in section 3.1 (Silicones). The same principles for achieving different levels of gloss in
polishes also apply to tire dressings.

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