DISPELAIR® FOAM CONTROL FOR

AQUEOUS SURFACE COATINGS

World Leaders in Foam Control

DISPELAIR®
DISPELAIR® PRODUCT RANGE FOR AQUEOUS SURFACE COATINGS

Dispelair®
Type of Chemistry Appearance Dispersibility in water
Product Code
CF 107 Mineral oil, silica and surfactants Opaque amber liquid Low dispersibility
CF 128 White oil, hydrophobes and surfactants Opaque amber liquid High dispersibility
CF 145 Mineral oil, metal soap, and surfactants Opaque amber liquid High dispersibility
CF 217 Based on modified silicones Colourless to grey liquid Low dispersibility
CF 244 Emulsion of polyglycols White emulsion Medium dispersibility
CF 335 Mineral oil, silica and surfactant hybrid Opaque amber liquid Low dispersibility
CF 504 Emulsion of modified silicones White emulsion High dispersibility
CF 699 Blend of polyglycols and modified silicones Pale yellow liquid High dispersibility
CF 795 Emulsion of modified silicones White emulsion Medium dispersibility
CF 800 Mineral oil, silica and surfactants Opaque amber liquid High dispersibility
CF 820 Emulsion of mineral oil, silica and surfactants Off- white emulsion Low dispersibility
CF 900 Emulsion of mineral oil, silica and surfactants Off-white emulsion Low dispersibility
CF 951 Mineral oil, silica and surfactants Opaque amber liquid High dispersibility

Further information on individual products, such as regulatory compliances and national inventory status, can be found on the
Product Information Sheets.
PRODUCT SELECTOR GUIDE

Dispelair® MATT SILK GLOSS SPRAY

VARNISHES POLYMERS ADHESIVES INKS PLASTERS
Product Code PAINT PAINT PAINT COATINGS
CF 107
CF 128
CF 145
CF 217
CF 244
CF 335
CF 504
CF 699
CF 795
CF 800
CF 820
CF 900
CF 951

The above products are a selection from our range. If none of the above meet your requirements we are happy to recommend and/or
develop a more suitable product.

For further information or samples please contact:

Blackburn Chemicals Limited Tel: +44 (0) 1254 52222
Whitebirk Industrial Estate, Fax: +44 (0) 1254 664224
Blackburn BB1 5SX, England Email: info@bbchem.co.uk www.bbchem.co.uk
DISPELAIR® FOAM CONTROL FOR
AQUEOUS SURFACE COATINGS

World Leaders in Foam Control

Dispelair® Foam Control Agents (FCAs)

All the main types of FCA for aqueous surface coatings are available in the Dispelair® range (see tables) so,
whatever the application, we can recommend a suitable Dispelair® product.

The main requirements of a Foam Control Agent are as follows:

1. The FCA must deaerate / prevent aeration in the coating during manufacture.
2. The FCA must remain active for the shelf life of the coating. Consideration of the storage environment must be
taken into account e.g. extremes of temperature.
3. The FCA must cause the bubbles to burst on application of the coating.
4. The FCA must be compatible in the coating film and must not cause any detrimental effects such as fisheyes.
The typical addition level of FCA in a coating system is around 0.1- 0.5% w/w, however in certain systems
levels outside this range are required.
Our development team at Blackburn can help to recommend the correct Dispelair® product and
indicate suitable addition levels by testing surface coatings in our laboratory. Evaluations can be
tailored to meet the particular requirements of a customer, but the following tests give a good
indication of the performance of a FCA in a specific coating system.

Spin Test
The efficiency of the FCA is measured using an air entrainment test. This gives an
indication of the ability of the FCA to prevent aeration during the production process.
The test coating is weighed into a beaker, then the FCA is accurately weighed onto the
surface of the coating. A wire whisk stirrer is used to mix the coating at a fixed speed, for
a defined period of time, (see picture). The speed and time of agitation is determined by
the foaming properties of the coating.
A rapid specific gravity (S.G.) measurement is made using a weight per gallon cup. By
comparing the S.G. of the coating before and after the spin test a determination of the Spin Testing
efficiency of the FCA is made. Several FCAs can be directly compared using this method.

Application Test
The test coating without FCA is applied to a
suitable substrate using a roller. The roller
Compatibility Testing
aerates the coating on application and, when
Compatibility is usually determined by drawing a thin film of the test coating
dried, the coating film is inspected for the
down on a glass plate with a wire wound bar. This is done on the test coating
amount of macro and micro bubbles on the
without FCA and then with the FCA incorporated to give a comparison. When
surface. The test is then repeated with FCA
the film has dried it is checked for imperfections.
incorporated into the coating and a
comparison is made.
The main compatibility issues are as follows:
1. Fisheyes. This effect is caused by localised dewetting of the coating film
due to hydrophobic particles being present. (See picture below)
A coating film with micro and
macro bubbles 2. Orange Peel Effect. This is caused by a surface tension gradient in the coating
film and can produce a surface similar to an orange peel.
3. Floating of the FCA on the surface of the coating. This can happen if the FCA does
not disperse well within the coating. If the FCA has a lower S.G. than the coating
then it may float to the surface.
4. Clouding. This is a problem particularly with clear varnishes. FCAs containing
silica can sometimes cause the clear film to become opaque.
5. Gloss. It is important when using a FCA in a gloss paint
formulation that there is no reduction of gloss in the final
film. This is measured using a gloss meter.

A coating with fisheyes