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Seven major factors influence the performance of defoamers.
Release Date:
2020-11-23
Defoamers are a commonly used type of additive, and there is a wide variety of defoamer formulations available. Selecting the appropriate defoamer for a given application is therefore crucial. So, what factors currently have the greatest impact on defoamer performance?
Defoamer It is a commonly used additive, and there are many different types of defoamers. When selecting a defoamer, it is crucial to make an informed choice. So, what factors currently have the greatest impact on a defoamer’s performance?
1. System:
1) Correct Defoamer The choice that has the greatest impact is the type of emulsifier and wetting agent you use.
2) Secondly, the type of resin—such as when the defoamer’s active ingredient can be absorbed by the colloidal resin.
3) The amount of alcohol or organic solvent in the system—while it is widely acknowledged that alcohols have a defoaming effect, they can also introduce certain interfering effects.
2. Dynamic defoaming capability:
1) In relatively confined small spaces, the dynamic defoaming effect—such as within a cavity-type doctor blade—is influenced by gas entering the bubbles. A brief drop in external pressure further promotes bubble formation and stabilization. Wetting agents and emulsifiers exert a contracting effect on the gases inside the bubbles; while the impact of a single bubble may be negligible, when there are tens of millions or even hundreds of millions, the cumulative effect becomes significant.
2) Open‑type dynamic defoaming performance: Has anyone ever converted a single‑sheet flexographic press into a varnishing machine? In the confined space between the adhesive roller and the ink roller, the open‑mouth design allows for high‑speed rotation, generating bubbles at a very rapid rate.
3. Static defoaming capability
When the bubbly liquid flows back into the storage tank or directly into the packaging drum, rapid defoaming is also acceptable at this point.
4. The applicable pH range of the defoamer—this point needs no further elaboration.
5. Long-term effectiveness: Some defoamers perform well initially, but their efficacy declines significantly after a period of storage.
There are many influencing factors; I think there are at least two reasons.
1) The defoamer is solubilized by the surfactant.
2) The defoamer’s active ingredient can be absorbed by the resin particles.
6. Machine Compatibility
1) Temperature: Variations in temperature can alter the foam-stabilizing and defoaming properties of surfactants.
2) Customer habits: Once, a varnish passed all in‑house foam‑control tests, but failed as soon as it reached the customer—leaving us puzzled. Upon on‑site inspection, we discovered that the customer was using a much higher dilution. For the same level of dilution, the foam‑stabilizing effects of emulsifiers and wetting agents diminished at a different rate than the defoaming efficacy of the defoamer, causing the system to become increasingly foamy as dilution continued.
7. Considerations for procurement safety and convenience:
When a raw material has no substitute, it can be very risky and should be used with caution—for example, certain gas‑phase chemical additives are so unique that I would never prioritize them. When developing a formulation, it’s wise to proactively prepare backup formulations as well.
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