Silicone resins is a type of silicone material which is formed by branched, and cage-like oligosiloxanes with the general formula of R_nSiX_mO_y, where R is a non reactive substituent, usually Me or Ph, and X is a functional group H, OH, Cl or OR. These groups are further condensed in many applications, to give highly crosslinked, insoluble polysiloxane networks. Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Silicones, or polysiloxanes, are inorganic polymers consisting of a silicon-oxygen backbone (...-Si-O-Si-O-Si-O-...) with side groups attached to the silicon atoms. ... In chemistry a methyl-group is a hydrophobic Alkyl functional group which is derived from methane (CH4). ... In chemistry, a phenyl-group is a hydrophobic aromatic functional group which is derived from benzene (C6H6). ... General Name, Symbol, Number Hydrogen, H, 1 Chemical series nonmetals Group, Period, Block 1 (IA), 1, s Density, Hardness 0. ... Hydroxide is a functional group consisting of oxygen and hydrogen: -O−H It has a charge of 1-. The term hydroxyl group is used when the functional group -OH is counted as a substituent of an organic compound. ... General Name, Symbol, Number chlorine, Cl, 17 Series halogens Group, Period, Block 17 (VIIA), 3, p Density, Hardness 3. ... In chemistry, the alkoxyl group is an alkyl group linked to oxygen thus: R-O- In this function, R represents the alkyl group. ... Silicones, or polysiloxanes, are inorganic polymers consisting of a silicon-oxygen backbone (...-Si-O-Si-O-Si-O-...) with side groups attached to the silicon atoms. ...

When R is methyl, the four possible functional siloxane monomeric units are described as follows:

• "M" stands for Me₃SiO,
• "D" for Me₂SiO₂,
• "T" for MeSiO₃ and
• "Q" for SiO₄.

The most abundant silicone resins are built of D and T units (DT resins) or from M and Q units (MQ resins), however many other combinations (MDT, MTQ, QDT) are also used in industry.

Silicone resins represent a broad range of products. Materials of molecular weight in the range of 1000-10 000 are very useful in pressure sensitive adhesives, silicone rubbers, coatings and additives.

Silicone resins are prepared by hydrolitic condensation of various silicone precursors. In early processes of preparation of silicone resins sodium silicate and various chlorosilanes were used as starting materials. Although the starting materials were the least expensive ones (something typical for industry), structural control of the product was very difficult. More recently, a less reactive tetraethoxysilane - (TEOS) or ethyl polysilicate and various disiloxanes are used as starting materials. Sodium silicate, also known as water glass, is a compound used in cements and textile processing. ...