Rain-X
Encyclopedia
Rain-X is a line of consumer automotive and surface care products produced by SOPUS Products (formerly Quaker State), a subsidiary
of Royal Dutch Shell
. Industrial Rain-X products are produced by Ecolab
and used in carwashes and other industrial applications. The most well known Rain-X product is a synthetic hydrophobic surface-applied product that causes water to bead, most commonly used on glass automobile
surfaces. Rain-X was originally registered as a trademark in 1972 by Unelko and sold to Quaker State in 1997. Rain-X branded products are distributed by Shell Car Care International Limited in the U.K.
Competing products include PGW's (formerly of PPG
) Aquapel
. Rain-X's brand awareness in the automotive consumer product segment is particularly high, being claimed as second only to Windex
.
silicone
polymer
that forces water to bead and roll off of the car, often without needing wipers. It is sold in 3.5 or 7 oz bottles, or as wipes or towelettes.
Rain-X Online Protectant was introduced to carwashes in June 2005 and is produced by Ecolab. It is a water-based compound that is applied to the entire car's surface, working much like consumer grade Rain-X products.
The original coating has also had use in military and other government settings. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
has used Rain-X in various water repellent research. The Australian Military has examined the effect of application of Rain-X and similar products to submarine antennae to improve signal transmission, although other coatings had longer-lifespans when submerged in salt-water.
It is also occasionally used in laboratory
settings to silanise
a surface.
Ski and snowboard enthusiasts use Rain-X as "wax" to effectively overcome sticky wet snow common in spring conditions. While skiing or riding on mountains with hard snow pack, the heat of the sun changes snow conditions starting on the lower slopes. Skis may suddenly slow down, throwing one off-balance, because of a change in surface tension, a sort of "sandpaper effect." Rain-X is applied to the ski or board base, or to the bottoms of ski boots to reduce, or eliminate snow "wedges" that interfere with proper mounting into ski bindings.
-terminated polydimethylsiloxane
. The polysiloxanes have functional groups that bind to the hydroxyl group of the glass surface.
Subsidiary
A subsidiary company, subsidiary, or daughter company is a company that is completely or partly owned and wholly controlled by another company that owns more than half of the subsidiary's stock. The subsidiary can be a company, corporation, or limited liability company. In some cases it is a...
of Royal Dutch Shell
Royal Dutch Shell
Royal Dutch Shell plc , commonly known as Shell, is a global oil and gas company headquartered in The Hague, Netherlands and with its registered office in London, United Kingdom. It is the fifth-largest company in the world according to a composite measure by Forbes magazine and one of the six...
. Industrial Rain-X products are produced by Ecolab
Ecolab
Ecolab, Inc. is a St. Paul, Minnesota based sanitation supply company founded in 1923.The company provides sanitation and pest control supplies, foodservice equipment repair and parts, food safety services and consulting to restaurants, hospitals, food and beverage plants, laundries, schools,...
and used in carwashes and other industrial applications. The most well known Rain-X product is a synthetic hydrophobic surface-applied product that causes water to bead, most commonly used on glass automobile
Windshield
The windshield or windscreen of an aircraft, car, bus, motorbike or tram is the front window. Modern windshields are generally made of laminated safety glass, a type of treated glass, which consists of two curved sheets of glass with a plastic layer laminated between them for safety, and are glued...
surfaces. Rain-X was originally registered as a trademark in 1972 by Unelko and sold to Quaker State in 1997. Rain-X branded products are distributed by Shell Car Care International Limited in the U.K.
Products
The Rain-X brand includes seven categories of products: wiper blades, glass and windshield treatments, plastic cleaners, windshield washer fluid, car washes, car wax, and bug and tar washes.Competing products include PGW's (formerly of PPG
PPG Industries
PPG Industries is a global supplier of paints, coatings, optical products, specialty materials, chemicals, glass and fiber glass. With headquarters in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, PPG operates in more than 60 countries around the globe. Sales in 2010 were $13.4 billion...
) Aquapel
Aquapel (glass treatment)
Aquapel is a rain repellent glass treatment created by PPG Industries. It is a competitor to the more widely known Rain-X product, but unlike Rain-X, is not a silicone-based compound. Aquapel Glass Treatment consists of fluorinated compounds which create a chemical bond with glass surfaces, causing...
. Rain-X's brand awareness in the automotive consumer product segment is particularly high, being claimed as second only to Windex
Windex
Windex is a trademark for a glass and hard-surface cleaner manufactured since 1933. S. C. Johnson acquired Windex in 1993 and has been manufacturing it since that time. The product was recently reformulated with more environmentally desirable solvents....
.
Uses
Due to its general water repellent properties, the original Rain-X formulation is used in a wide variety of consumer, commercial and industrial settings. The primary use of Rain-X is for automotive applications. Commercially sold "Original Glass Treatment" is the original and most well known Rain-X branded product. It is a hydrophobicHydrophobic effect
The hydrophobic effect is the observed tendency of nonpolar substances to aggregate in aqueous solution and exclude water molecules. The name, literally meaning "water-fearing," describes the segregation and apparent repulsion between water and nonpolar substances...
silicone
Silicone
Silicones are inert, synthetic compounds with a variety of forms and uses. Typically heat-resistant and rubber-like, they are used in sealants, adhesives, lubricants, medical applications , cookware, and insulation....
polymer
Polymer
A polymer is a large molecule composed of repeating structural units. These subunits are typically connected by covalent chemical bonds...
that forces water to bead and roll off of the car, often without needing wipers. It is sold in 3.5 or 7 oz bottles, or as wipes or towelettes.
Rain-X Online Protectant was introduced to carwashes in June 2005 and is produced by Ecolab. It is a water-based compound that is applied to the entire car's surface, working much like consumer grade Rain-X products.
The original coating has also had use in military and other government settings. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration , pronounced , like "noah", is a scientific agency within the United States Department of Commerce focused on the conditions of the oceans and the atmosphere...
has used Rain-X in various water repellent research. The Australian Military has examined the effect of application of Rain-X and similar products to submarine antennae to improve signal transmission, although other coatings had longer-lifespans when submerged in salt-water.
It is also occasionally used in laboratory
Laboratory
A laboratory is a facility that provides controlled conditions in which scientific research, experiments, and measurement may be performed. The title of laboratory is also used for certain other facilities where the processes or equipment used are similar to those in scientific laboratories...
settings to silanise
Silane
Silane is a toxic, extremely flammable chemical compound with chemical formula SiH4. In 1857, the German chemists and Friedrich Woehler discovered silane among the products formed by the action of hydrochloric acid on aluminum silicide, which they had previously prepared...
a surface.
Ski and snowboard enthusiasts use Rain-X as "wax" to effectively overcome sticky wet snow common in spring conditions. While skiing or riding on mountains with hard snow pack, the heat of the sun changes snow conditions starting on the lower slopes. Skis may suddenly slow down, throwing one off-balance, because of a change in surface tension, a sort of "sandpaper effect." Rain-X is applied to the ski or board base, or to the bottoms of ski boots to reduce, or eliminate snow "wedges" that interfere with proper mounting into ski bindings.
Chemistry
Rain-X's primary active ingredient are polysiloxanates, the primary one being hydroxyHydroxyl
A hydroxyl is a chemical group containing an oxygen atom covalently bonded with a hydrogen atom. In inorganic chemistry, the hydroxyl group is known as the hydroxide ion, and scientists and reference works generally use these different terms though they refer to the same chemical structure in...
-terminated polydimethylsiloxane
Polydimethylsiloxane
Polydimethylsiloxane belongs to a group of polymeric organosilicon compounds that are commonly referred to as silicones. PDMS is the most widely used silicon-based organic polymer, and is particularly known for its unusual rheological properties. PDMS is optically clear, and, in general, is...
. The polysiloxanes have functional groups that bind to the hydroxyl group of the glass surface.
Awards
- 2006 Best Brand Award
- Most Innovative New Product, Car Care World Expo 2006
- 2008 Brand Leadership Award, Frost & Sullivan