Types of Defoaming Agent

Foam formation in industrial coatings is a common problem, compromising production and application processes. To avoid foam during spraying or brushing, defoamer are used as antifoamer agents – they also prevent any craters in the finished film from forming.

Selecting an effective defoamer depends on its application mode, formulation and resin type. There are various defoamers on the market.

Silicone

Silicone is a special chemical compound designed to remove or reduce foam in industrial operations. It does this by reducing surface tension, enabling air bubbles to rupture, destabilizing foam, and preventing it from reforming again. Furthermore, silicone prevents re-foaming.

Silicone defoamers come both in solid and liquid forms. Solid defoamers are durable enough for long-term storage and easy transport/use; perfect for applications that require very small dosages of antifoaming agent.

Silicones have many desirable properties that make them suitable for defoaming textile high-temperature dyeing processes, sewage treatment facilities and metal cutting fluids, including resisting high temperatures, strong acids and alkalis and being non-toxic and harmless to human beings. Their versatility also allows them to serve as important defoaming agents in textile high-temperature dyeing processes, wastewater treatment plants and metal cutting fluids; in addition, silicones reduce catalyst poisoning by eliminating petroleum foams from separation tanks which helps improve oil-water separation system effectiveness further.

Oil

Defoaming agent are chemical additives designed to decrease surface tension and enable air bubble rupture, with many industrial and commercial operations using these agents to manage foam production, providing smooth operations while decreasing maintenance requirements.

The type of defoaming agent chosen depends on specific issues with a formulation, including resin type and application method (brushing, rolling or spraying), filler choice and other fillers used. While most available defoamers are suitable for most coatings, your specific situation will dictate which one best meets those needs.

Defoamers are typically liquid materials like mineral oil, silicone, vegetable oils and hydrophobic silica that cling to the surface of foam and disrupt its lamellae, leading to air bubble bursts and foam surface breakdown. Most defoamers come equipped with an emulsification system for easy addition and incorporation; powder defoamers may be purchased on carriers like silica for convenience.

High-carbon alcohol

Defoaming agent used in papermaking can significantly decrease foam and improve production efficiency by controlling it to a minimum and preventing process interruptions caused by foam-related process interruptions. They’re commonly employed to manage foaming of pulp and white water; and have the power to prevent foam at low concentrations across different temperature conditions.

High-carbon alcohol defoaming agents are liquid substances with strong hydrophobicity and weak hydrophilicity properties. They find widespread application across industries including coatings, chemical production, wastewater treatment systems and medium and high temperature spray cleaning operations.

Defoamer typically comprise a mixture of liquids and hydrophobic solids that reduce surface tension to cause foam to break apart, such as silicones, mineral oils, fatty acids or surfactants. Silica or alumina hydrophobic solids may also be added for greater efficacy and rheological control. Defoamer is working to reduce existing foam in industrial settings like papermaking operations. This can help lower maintenance requirements, minimize hazardous situations caused by foam agglomeration and enhance overall system efficiency. They may be applied either as treatments for existing foaming situations or additives to prevent future foaming events.