In the modern construction industry, concrete, as a traditional and important building material, has been continuously developed and improved, and its application scope has far exceeded traditional building and road construction. However, in the production and application of concrete, the foam problem has always been a key problem to be solved. Foam not only affects the mechanical properties of concrete, but also may adversely affect its thermal insulation and freeze-thaw durability. Therefore, the application of defoamers in the construction industry is particularly important.

Defoamers mainly destroy the stability of bubble walls by reducing the surface tension of the system, thereby reducing the air content in concrete and suppressing the generation of bubbles. The basic characteristics of defoamers include low surface tension, good defoaming performance, stable chemical properties, no reaction with defoaming systems, good storage stability, and green, non-toxic, and pollution-free properties. These characteristics make defoamer an ideal choice to solve the problem of concrete foam.

In the construction industry, commonly used defoamers are mainly divided into fat based, polyether based, organosilicon based, and polyether modified organosilicon based on raw materials. The main component of fat based defoamers is natural oils and fats, which are relatively inexpensive and environmentally friendly. However, their defoaming ability is limited and their storage stability is poor. Polyether defoamers belong to non-ionic surfactants, and by adjusting the hydrophilic and lipophilic equilibrium values in their molecular chains, they can meet the requirements of different foaming systems. Organosilicon defoamers have excellent defoaming performance, chemical stability, and environmental friendliness, but they need to be compounded with other components to improve dispersibility. Polyether modified silicone defoamers combine the advantages of the previous two and have a wider range of applicability.

The application of defoamers in the construction industry is not limited to concrete, but also widely used in the production process of building materials such as coatings, paints, gypsum boards, etc. In the production of coatings and paints, foam is easily produced due to the presence of a variety of surfactants in the formula, which affects the quality and stability of products. The addition of defoamer can effectively eliminate these foam and improve the smoothness and compactness of the product. In the production of gypsum board, defoamers also play an important role, helping to eliminate bubbles in gypsum slurry and improve the strength and durability of gypsum board.

In short, the application of defoamers in the construction industry is of great significance for improving product quality, production efficiency, and environmental protection. With the continuous development of the construction industry, the performance and application scope of defoamers will also continue to expand and improve, contributing to the sustainable development of the construction industry.