During production or use, foam often acts as a “roadblock” that affects product quality and efficiency. Currently, foam is a common challenge across all industrial products and the food industry. However, there is no need to worry excessively, as foam inhibitors are specifically designed to eliminate foam. Today, we will share the four main types of commonly used water-based foam inhibitors.

What are the types of water-based defoamers?

1. Organic silicon (resin) type: Organic silicon is currently widely used due to its fast defoaming, low dosage, and favorable price. It is often used in water treatment, sand washing, coal washing plants, shield mud, cleaning, petrochemical, and other industries. Silicon-based water-based defoamers are widely loved for their good defoaming and foam suppression properties.

2. Surfactant-based: These defoamers are essentially emulsifiers that utilize the dispersing action of surfactants to keep foam-forming substances in a stable emulsified state in water, thereby preventing foam formation.

3. Alkane-based: Alkane-based defoamers are made by emulsifying and dispersing alkane waxes or their derivatives using emulsifiers. Their applications are similar to those of surfactant-based emulsifying defoamers.

4. Tri-n-butyl phosphate-based: Tri-n-butyl phosphate defoamers are developed as plasticizers for nitrocellulose,acetate, chlorinated rubber, and polyvinyl chloride, as well as an extractant for rare metals. They are soluble in various organic solvents but insoluble in water, making them suitable for a wide range of industries. Due to their low surface tension and poor solubility in water, they can be used as industrial defoamers, effectively destabilizing the membranes of existing foam bubbles and causing them to dissipate rapidly.

In addition to the four major types mentioned above, water-based foam inhibitors also include polyether GPE-type, alcohol-based, and other non-silicone (silicone-free) foam inhibitors.