During the production and application of oil-based polyurethane coatings, adhesives and potting compounds, stubborn bubble problems are often a source of frustration. These tiny bubbles not only cause surface defects such as pinholes and orange peel that seriously compromise appearance and gloss, but also weaken the film's density, adhesion and protective performance, becoming a pain point that drags down product grade and production efficiency.
To meet this core need, Chemi Tech has devoted extensive research to developing a series of high-efficiency defoamers for oil-based polyurethane systems. Our solution is not about simply adding a chemical; it is built on a deep understanding of the foaming mechanism of polyurethane systems. The product quickly penetrates the bubble walls and, by lowering local surface tension, causes the bubble film to thin rapidly and burst. At the same time, its excellent compatibility ensures that highly effective defoaming is achieved without causing secondary problems such as craters, fish eyes or reduced system transparency.
The application steps are clear and simple. First, during the production stage, it is recommended to add the defoamer in two portions, before and after grinding and dispersion, with a total dosage generally between 0.1% and 0.5% of the formulation. The first addition aims to eliminate the large amount of air introduced during grinding; the second addition, at the let-down stage, removes micro-bubbles generated by stirring and those remaining during subsequent standing. Second, for bubbles generated during application, a fast bubble-breaking grade can be selected and added directly with moderate stirring to take effect. Importantly, users should run small-scale trials based on their own system polarity, viscosity and application process to determine the optimal grade and dosage.
We once helped an electronic encapsulation material manufacturer tackle a difficult problem. After curing, the customer's potting compound always contained scattered bubbles that compromised electrical insulation reliability. Through analysis, we recommended a specialized defoamer that combines both foam suppression and foam breaking. Following our guidance, the customer added it during the resin pre-mixing stage, and after process adjustment the internal bubbles in the cured product were essentially eliminated, significantly improving the product pass rate and earning the customer's continued recognition.
Choosing Chemi Tech means choosing a reliable problem-solving path. Our technical team can provide targeted evaluation and advice to help you completely bid farewell to bubble problems in oil-based polyurethane systems and achieve a dual leap in product appearance and intrinsic quality.