Solubilised Chemicals Which Cause Antifoaming

It has been shown that solubilised antifoamers such as tributyl phosphate and methyl isobutyl carbinol, when added to surfactant solutions such as sodium 

Droplets and Oil Lenses Which Cause Antifoaming and Detbaming 

Undissolved oil droplets form in the surface of the film, and this can lead to film rupture. Several examples of oils may be used alkyl phosphates, diols, fatty acid esters and silicone oils (e.g., polydimethyl siloxane PDMS). 

A widely accepted mechanism for the antifoaming action of oils considers two steps whereby the oil drops enter the air/water interface, and the oil then spreads over the film, causing rupture. 

The antifoaming action can be rationalised [28] in terms of the balance between the entering coefficient E and the Harkins [29] spreading coefficient S, which are 

---