Rain-X is a synthetic

hydrophobic In chemistry, hydrophobicity is the physical property of a molecule that is seemingly repelled from a mass of water (known as a hydrophobe). In contrast, hydrophiles are attracted to water. Hydrophobic molecules tend to be nonpolar and, th ...

surface-applied product that causes water to bead up and run off surfaces, most commonly used on glass automobile surfaces. The brand has since been extended to a range of automotive and surface care products, including wiper blades.

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. Rain-X Online Protectant was introduced to commercial carwashes in 2005. It is a water-based compound that is applied to the entire car's surface, working much like consumer grade Rain-X products. Competing products include Pittsburgh Glass Works' (formerly of PPG)

Aquapel {{Unreferenced, date=August 2008 Aquapel is a technical racing swimsuit designed by Tyr Sport, Inc. It has a unique creation process that gives it a high-speed design, turbulence reduction and advanced compression biochemics. The suit fits snugly ...

Uses

What a little Rain-X can do for you (3908431451)

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

silicone A silicone or polysiloxane is a polymer made up of siloxane (−R2Si−O−SiR2−, where R = organic group). They are typically colorless oils or rubber-like substances. Silicones are used in sealants, adhesives, lubricants, medicine, cooking ...

polymer A polymer (; Greek '' poly-'', "many" + ''-mer'', "part") is a substance or material consisting of very large molecules called macromolecules, composed of many repeating subunits. Due to their broad spectrum of properties, both synthetic a ...

that forces water to bead and roll off of the car, often without needing wipers. It is sold in bottles of , or as wipes or towelettes. The original coating has also had use in military and other government settings. The Australian military examined the effect of application of Rain-X and similar products to submarine antennas to improve signal transmission, although other coatings had longer lifespans when submerged in salt water. It is also occasionally used in

laboratory A laboratory (; ; colloquially lab) is a facility that provides controlled conditions in which scientific or technological research, experiments, and measurement may be performed. Laboratory services are provided in a variety of settings: physicia ...

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.

Chemistry

Rain-X's primary active ingredient are

polysiloxane A silicone or polysiloxane is a polymer made up of siloxane (−R2Si−O−SiR2−, where R = organic group). They are typically colorless oils or rubber-like substances. Silicones are used in sealants, adhesives, lubricants, medicine, cooking ...

s, the primary one being hydroxy-terminated

polydimethylsiloxane Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), also known as dimethylpolysiloxane or dimethicone, 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, as its ...

. The polysiloxanes have functional groups that bind to the hydroxyl group of the glass surface. Rain-X submitted safety documents which state that the solvent used is a mix of

acetone Acetone (2-propanone or dimethyl ketone), is an organic compound with the formula . It is the simplest and smallest ketone (). It is a colorless, highly volatile and flammable liquid with a characteristic pungent odour. Acetone is miscib ...

and water, but the exact ratio is a trade secret.

History and ownership

Rain-X was introduced in 1972 by Howard G. Ohlhausen of the Unelko Corporation. The product was originally registered as a trademark in 1972 by Unelko, and was sold to

Quaker State Quaker State is an American brand of motor oil produced by Shell, the US-based division of Shell plc since 2002,SOPUS Products, a subsidiary of Pennzoil-Quaker State, itself a subsidiary of

Royal Dutch Shell Shell plc is a British multinational oil and gas company headquartered in London, England. Shell is a public limited company with a primary listing on the London Stock Exchange (LSE) and secondary listings on Euronext Amsterdam and the New Yo ...

. On 1 March 2011,

Illinois Tool Works Illinois Tool Works Inc. or ITW is an American Fortune 200 company that produces engineered fasteners and components, equipment and consumable systems, and specialty products. It was founded in 1912 by Byron L. Smith and has built its growth on ...

acquired SOPUS' car care business. In the UK, prior to 2010, Rain-X branded products were distributed by the SOPUS subsidiary Auto Expressions. On 9 June 2010, Kraco Enterprises acquired the company. Industrial Rain-X products were produced by

Ecolab Ecolab Inc. is an American corporation that is headquartered in Saint Paul, Minnesota. It develops and offers services, technology and systems that specialize in treatment, purification, cleaning and hygiene of water in a wide variety of applic ...

and used in

carwash A car wash, carwash, or auto wash is a facility used to clean the exterior, and in some cases the interior of motor vehicles. Car washes can be self-service, full-service (with attendants who wash the vehicle), or fully automated (possi ...

es and other industrial applications. Ecolab sold its vehicle care business to Zep, Inc. on 1 December 2012. The sale also included the Armor All Professional, Black Magic, Blue Coral, Niagara National, Washtronics, and Zep Enviroedge brands. Rain-X (retail products) was purchased by Illinois Tool Works, from Shell Oil Company, on 3/1/2011. Today, Rain-X is part of ITW Global Brands division.

References

External links

* of the Rain-X brand * of the owner company, ITW Global Brands * of the parent company, Illinois Tool Works (ITW) {{Use dmy dates, date=February 2020 Automotive chemicals Former Shell plc subsidiaries Images requiring maintenance Car windows