Mini-Encyclopedia of Papermaking Wet-End Chemistry Additives and Ingredients, their Composition, Functions, Strategies for Use ANTI-FOAM / DEFOAMER Composition: There is an extremely diverse set of chemical formulations that can be effective either to prevent foam (anti-foam) or to destroy it once it has formed (defoamer). Actually the distinction between these two terms is usually ignored. Most foam-fighting chemicals can serve either role. Let's therefore use the term "defoamer" as a general label for all of these chemicals. The most universal characteristic of any defoamer is the fact that it is surface active, but highly insoluble in water. It has to be formulated so that it will be dispersed as tiny droplets, i.e. as an emulsion. The surface-active nature of the material causes it to spread very rapidly onto any air-water interface that it encounters. This is especially the case if that interface already is covered by the types of surface-active materials...