Silicone latex solvent thickening

A method of modifying the viscosity of a solvent, the method comprising (I) adding a silicone latex containing water and a plurality of cured crosslinked polysiloxane particles to a solvent after the particles have been cured and without removing the water from the cured particles in the latex;

• and (II) mixing the latex containing the water and the cured particles and the solvent together to thicken the solvent;
• the latex being prepared by a method comprising:
• (A) mixing (i) 100 weight parts of a siloxane polymer having a viscosity of greater than 5,000 mPa.s but less than 500,000 mPa.s at 25.degree. C., (ii) 0.5-10 weight parts of a surfactant, and (iii) 0.5-25 weight parts of water, (B) emulsifying the mixture into a gel phase having a siloxane polymer content of at least 80% by weight;
• (C) diluting the emulsion with further water to a siloxane polymer content of at least 75% by weight, (D) adding 0.00001-20 weight parts catalyst either before or after the emulsification, or before or after the dilution;
• (E) adding 0.1-20 weight parts crosslinker either before or after the emulsification, or before or after the dilution;
• or in place of adding (D) and (E), adding 1-5 weight parts self catalytic crosslinker either before or after the emulsification, or before or after the dilution.