Section
| HS Code | 792224 |
| Product Name | SILFOAM eco SP 7960 |
| Product Class | Bio-Based Silicone Antifoam Powder |
| Chemical Composition | Organomodified silicone compound on a bio-based organic carrier |
| Appearance | Free-flowing powder |
| Color | Off-white to beige |
| Odor | Mild characteristic odor |
| Bio Based Carbon Content | Approximately 70% or more (ASTM D6866) |
| Bulk Density | Approximately 550-650 kg/m³ |
| Particle Size | Fine powder, d50 typically in the range of 150-250 µm |
| Dry Content | Greater than 99% |
| Moisture Content | Less than 1% |
| Water Solubility | Insoluble in water but dispersible |
| Ph Value In Aqueous Dispersion | Neutral to slightly alkaline (6.0-8.0) |
| Thermal Stability | Stable up to approximately 200 °C |
| Function | Reduces and suppresses foam formation |
| Surface Activity | Hydrophobic and foam-destabilizing |
As an accredited SILFOAM eco SP 7960 Bio-Based Silicone Antifoam Powder factory, we enforce strict quality protocols—every batch undergoes rigorous testing to ensure consistent efficacy and safety standards.
| Packing | SILFOAM eco SP 7960 is supplied in 25 kg cardboard boxes with polyethylene inner liner, ensuring safe handling and storage. |
| Container Loading (20′ FCL) | 20′ FCL: bio-based silicone antifoam powder, sealed bags on pallets, loaded dry and secure in a 20-foot container. |
| Shipping | SILFOAM eco SP 7960 ships as a free-flowing powder in lined multi-layer bags or fiber drums, palletized and stretch-wrapped. It is non-hazardous for transport under ADR, IMDG, and IATA regulations. Keep sealed, dry, and away from direct sunlight to prevent caking. Handle gently to minimize dust generation. |
| Storage | Store SILFOAM eco SP 7960 in its original, tightly closed container in a cool, dry, well-ventilated area. Protect from moisture, direct sunlight, and extreme temperatures. Avoid storing near strong oxidizers or incompatible materials. Keep away from food and drink. Follow label instructions and maintain reasonable stock rotation for optimal product performance and shelf life. |
| Shelf Life | Shelf life is 24 months from manufacture when stored unopened in original container, protected from moisture and heat. |
In a spray-dried household laundry powder line, foam generation in the wash liquor is not controlled solely by surfactant selection; residual foam depression arises from the post-tower blending stage, where a liquid silicone emulsion added at 0.02 wt% would produce lumps in detergent base powders with a residual moisture of 3 wt%. SILFOAM eco SP 7960 Bio-Based Silicone Antifoam Powder is therefore metered through a twin-screw gravimetric feeder into a ribbon blender at 0.1–0.3 wt% of final powder mass, with the upper bound of 0.5 wt% reserved for high-surfactant compact formulations containing more than 18 wt% anionic and nonionic surfactant actives. Compliance for the detergent application is anchored to Regulation (EC) No 648/2004 for surfactant biodegradability and labelled dosing, while foam control in wash liquor is evaluated by the Ross-Miles method according to ASTM D1173-16; test liquors are prepared at 25 °C in water hardness of 150 mg/L CaCO₃. The production process integrates the powder antifoam after the spray-drying tower because exposing the silicone active to inlet temperatures above 200 °C can reduce foam-depression efficiency through decomposition of the carrier system. Terminal product types in this sector include phosphate-free and compact low-foam laundry powders, industrial workwear detergents formulated for washing machines with a liquor ratio of 1:4, and machine-dishwasher rinse aid powders where foam suppression contributes to spray arm pressure stability.
Cold water at 5 °C increases the plastic viscosity of a cementitious tile adhesive slurry and retards bubble coalescence; air voids become trapped in the thin-bed layer before the open time begins. In cementitious adhesives conforming to EN 12004-1:2017 for classification and EN 12004-2:2017 for tensile adhesion test methodology, the powdered silicone antifoam is dry-blended at 0.05–0.2 wt% based on total dry mortar mass, with 0.1 wt% most frequently used in factory-blended C2TE formulations. The additive is introduced into a twin-shaft batch mixer with a fill volume of 1,500 L after the cellulose ether and redispersible polymer powder but before calcium formate accelerator; this sequence avoids the hydrophobic silicone active coating the water-soluble latex film during the final 180–240 s of mixing. Air content of the fresh mortar is measured with the pressure method specified in EN 1015-7:1998; production-scale mixers with tip speeds of 3–5 m/s show air content reductions of approximately 2–4 volume percentage points relative to the same formulation without powder antifoam, though published data for this specific bio-based grade in a full-scale silo-to-packer line is limited. Terminal products include thin-bed ceramic tile adhesives for large-format porcelain panels, waterproof C2S1 classification adhesives for swimming pools, and dry-mix floor tile mortar packed in moisture-protected paper bags.
In self-leveling flooring compounds, bimodal air release is observed: coarse bubbles escape during the initial low-shear planetary mixing, while microfoam smaller than 100 µm persists into the pump feed zone and degrades surface flatness after placing. For calcium sulfate-based and cement-based self-leveling underlayments specified under EN 13813:2002, the powder defoamer is incorporated at 0.02–0.10 wt% of the dry powder mass; spread flow after mixing is controlled to 240–260 mm on a flow cone at 5 min, while air content is checked by EN 1015-7:1998. The downstream production process involves continuous mixing pumps of the rotor/stator type: dry powder is delivered by silo vehicle, water is added at a mass ratio of 18–20 wt%, and the pump rotor operates at approximately 350 rpm. On production sites using continuous mixer pumps, foam-related cavitation is detected as pressure fluctuation exceeding ±0.8 bar at the pump outlet; a powder antifoam dose of 0.05 wt% reduces this fluctuation by limiting air entrapment in the feed zone. Over-dosing above 0.15 wt% may reduce 28-day compressive strength measured by EN 13892-2 through residual air voids, so batch validation by the pressure method is required before full production. Terminal products include self-leveling floor screeds, underlayment for hospital vinyl flooring, and renovation substrates for parquet and resin coatings.
Because setting-type gypsum joint compounds lose water rapidly at the surface during final trowelling, microfoam that survives the high-shear dispersion stage migrates upward and creates pinholes in the dried film. In gypsum-based dry powders tested under ASTM C475/C475M-20 and EN 13279-1:2008, the silicone powder is added at 0.05–0.15 wt% on a dry powder basis, with 0.08 wt% preferred for lightweight formulae containing 10–20 wt% perlite or expanded glass microspheres. The production process is a high-shear ploughshare mixer with chopper blades running at 1,500 rpm for 3–5 min; the antifoam powder is introduced in the dry state after calcined gypsum and limestone filler but before starch ether and cellulose ether to prevent segregation into fine powder fractions. Foam-related surface defects on hand-applied compound are reduced when the carrier is not over-milled below 20 µm; if the active becomes dispersed into particles finer than the filler matrix, the powder may lose its release point during wet mixing. Published data for this specific bio-based grade in airless spray application of joint compound is limited. Terminal products include setting-type joint compounds, skim coat fillers, and drywall finish systems for level 4 and level 5 gypsum board surfaces.
During tank-mix preparation of a 750 g/kg water-dispersible granule formulation, persistent foam can reduce pesticide spray tank capacity, interfere with sight gauges, and slow the dissolution of the granule matrix. SILFOAM eco SP 7960 is incorporated at 0.1–1.0 wt% in the dry formulation before granulation; the upper limit is reserved for wettable powders containing high naphthalene sulfonate dispersant levels above 5 wt%. Compliance in this sector is determined under CIPAC MT 47.2 for persistent foam and the plant protection product authorization framework of Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009; formulations are released only when foam volume remains below 20 mL after 1 min in the standard CIPAC test water. The downstream process of fluid-bed granulation is preferred over spray drying for heat-sensitive actives: the dry pre-blend containing the powder defoamer, dispersant, wetter, filler, and technical active is granulated in a fluidized-bed granulator at an inlet air temperature of 55–65 °C, where the silicone active must remain below its degradation threshold and must not become tacky. If the granulator charge exceeds 65 °C due to poor heat transfer, the silicone active may soften and reduce subsequent granule flowability. End product types include water-dispersible granules for cereal fungicides, wettable powder formulations for horticultural insecticides, and dry seed-treatment powders that are tank-mixed before application.
When high cellulose ether dosages in cementitious grouts approach 0.5 wt%, slow paddle mixing generates stable air voids that lower cured flexural strength and produce surface pinholing after washing. In pigmented cementitious grouts and repair mortars tested under EN 13888:2022 and EN 1015-7:1998, the powder antifoam is added at 0.05–0.2 wt% of dry mix, with the addition made through a loss-in-weight feeder into a continuous horizontal ploughshare mixer. The powder is blended after the iron oxide pigments and before the powdered hydrophobic agent, preventing the silicone active from coating pigment particles and changing colour strength. Cured mortar workability and water retention are monitored because excessive foam suppression can increase wet density at the expense of smooth trowel application; over-dosing above 0.2 wt% may reduce early strength through residual entrained air. Published data for this specific silicone powder in high-alkali exterior grouts with pH values above 12 is limited, and wash-water compatibility should be validated on the production line. Terminal products include cementitious grouts for porcelain tiles, waterproof grouts for exterior paving, and high-strength repair mortars for repaired façade joints.
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SILFOAM® eco SP 7960 Bio-Based Silicone Antifoam Powder is a free-flowing white powder defoamer designed for dry-mix building materials. The product consists of a silicone antifoam active substance distributed on a bio-based carrier. It is introduced at the dry-mix stage, before water addition, so that the carrier releases the silicone fraction during the high-shear wet mixing event. The technical role is to reduce macro-foam formation caused by surfactants, redispersible polymer powders, and high-speed mixing in formulations such as cementitious tile adhesives, grouts, self-leveling compounds, patching mortars, and gypsum plasters. Unlike conventional silicone powders carried on synthetic silica, SILFOAM® eco SP 7960 is positioned as a bio-based alternative that provides renewable carbon content under ASTM D6866-21 while maintaining collapse of unstable air voids. The inclusion rate is normally evaluated against hardened mortar properties including air content by ASTM C185-20 or EN 1015-7:1998, compressive strength by ASTM C109/C109M-21 or EN 196-1:2016, and tensile adhesion strength for tile adhesives by EN 12004-1:2017 or ISO 13007-1:2014.
The product is described in manufacturer’s application literature as based on a food-grade silicone antifoam compound on a bio-based carrier. This compositional distinction matters in dry-mix plants where dust control, renewable carbon accounting, and residual inorganic content are part of raw-material qualification. The powder form allows gravimetric dosing into continuous and batch mixers without the need for separate liquid defoamer metering systems. However, defoaming performance is not controlled by silicone content alone; the particle size distribution of the carrier, bulk density, and moisture uptake behavior of the powder influence how consistently the active silicone is distributed through the dry blend.
In conventional silicone antifoam powders, the active polydimethylsiloxane droplet is dispersed onto fumed silica or precipitated silica carriers. The silica carrier contributes to inorganic residue, can increase dusting, and does not contribute renewable carbon. In SILFOAM® eco SP 7960, the carrier is a bio-based particulate that disperses in water. On contact with mixing water, the carrier is solubilized or suspended, releasing the silicone active droplets to the air–water interface. For effective foam collapse, the silicone droplet must spread across the liquid film, creating a surface tension gradient that drains the foam lamella. Because carrier release is time-dependent and mixing-intensity-dependent, the defoaming effect is observed primarily during the first seconds of wet mixing. This distinguishes the product from neat liquid silicone antifoams, which can be locally overdosed, and from mineral-oil defoamers, which can reduce air void stability but may introduce hydrophobic films that interfere with subsequent adhesive bond formation.
The manufacturer’s technical guidance indicates a dosage range of 0.05–0.5 wt% based on dry-mix mass. The lower end is generally applicable to low-cement, low-surfactant tile adhesives, while the upper end is reserved for highly air-entrained self-leveling underlayments and repair mortars with high polymer content. Published formulation-specific data for this exact product can be limited; therefore, dosage should be calibrated using factorial trials rather than relying on nominal addition levels. A laboratory screening matrix typically varies the defoamer in increments of 0.05 wt% and measures fresh mortar air content, flow, and hardened adhesion.
On production-scale tile-adhesive lines using horizontal plowshare mixers with chopper blades, foam generation is most severe during wet mixing when redispersible polymer powders and wetting agents are present. A defoamer powder introduced only in the dry blend can be unevenly distributed if added after the full binder and filler charge. Plant-scale experience indicates that addition after fine fillers and before the final high-shear mixing step improves batch-to-batch consistency. The product is tested by preparing a cementitious tile adhesive in accordance with EN 12004-1:2017 and measuring tensile adhesion after water immersion, heat ageing, and freeze-thaw cycling. In such systems, uncontrolled macro-foam can lower pull-off strength by reducing effective contact area between the adhesive and the concrete substrate. Use of SILFOAM® eco SP 7960 within the recommended range has been evaluated in laboratory planetary mixers; however, site-specific binder and polymer loads require revalidation. Because the carrier is bio-based, it does not add silica dust to the dry-mix atmosphere, which is relevant for dust exposure control in continuous mixing plants.
Powder antifoam performance in dry-mix systems depends on the dispersion of the carrier particles during dry blending and the release of the active silicone during wet mixing. In a forced-action mortar mixer with a nominal capacity of 100–200 L, dry blending typically requires 60–120 s at high rotor speed before water addition. If the defoamer powder is added too late, pockets of carrier can remain undispersed. These pockets then release the silicone locally during wet mixing and produce non-uniform air-void reduction. In twin-shaft continuous mixers, the mean residence time is generally shorter than in batch mixers, so powder particle size distribution and bulk density influence feeder accuracy. SILFOAM® eco SP 7960 is designed to be conveyed by screw feeders and added gravimetrically. The carrier particle morphology also affects wetting rate. The wetting rate can be characterized indirectly by monitoring the time required to reach stable air content in a mortar after water addition using EN 1015-7:1998 or ASTM C185-20.
The defoaming mechanism is not a slow chemical reaction. Most macro-foam collapse occurs within the first 30–60 s of high-shear wet mixing. In high-speed gypsum mixing at 1,000–2,000 rpm, the carrier can dissolve more rapidly, shifting the effective dosage window downward compared with low-shear cementitious mixing. Production-scale mixer trials have demonstrated that pre-blending the powder into the binder phase before adding lightweight fillers and fibers improves defoamer distribution. Loss-in-weight screw feeders with a fill factor above 70 % typically provide more faithful delivery of low-dosage powder additives than volumetric feeding in continuous dry-mix lines. Because the powder is free-flowing, bridging in hoppers is less likely than with cohesive silica-based defoamer powders; however, storage humidity remains a controlling variable.
When the dosage of silicone antifoam powder exceeds the formulation-specific threshold, the liquid film stabilization of smaller air voids can be lost, resulting in pinholes, surface cratering, and reduced open time in tile adhesives. In self-leveling underlayments, excessive defoaming can lower the air content below the level needed for workability and can produce a dense but brittle surface with reduced interlayer bond strength. The operational boundary is not universal. It depends on water-to-powder ratio, polymer content, and the presence of air-entraining admixtures. Published product data for SILFOAM® eco SP 7960 do not specify a single universal upper addition limit; instead, the manufacturer’s technical guidance recommends a practical maximum of 0.5 wt% for standard formulations. Above this level, cratering risk is considered elevated because excess silicone droplets can spread on the mortar surface and create low-surface-energy areas that repel subsequent layers.
Production-scale observations show that interlayer adhesion failures in self-leveling screeds can occur when overdosed silicone defoamers are combined with low-porosity substrates and low water absorption. The safe upper limit should therefore be established by pull-off testing according to EN 1542:1999 or ASTM C1583/C1583M-20. In addition, surface defect assessment under grazing light is commonly used during formulation development. A formulation that shows no visible pinholes at 0.15 wt% may show cratering at 0.35 wt% if polymer redispersible powder content exceeds 3 wt%. Published data for this specific configuration is limited, and the interaction between silicone spreading pressure and polymer film formation remains formulation-dependent.
In gypsum self-leveling underlayments, macro-foam generated by polycarboxylate ether superplasticizers and redispersible polymer powders can persist after mixing and create blisters and pinholes on the cured surface. The powder is pre-blended with calcium sulfate binder and fillers. During wet mixing, the defoamer must act quickly because gypsum hydration starts rapidly; the setting can be influenced by foam collapse and the resulting increase in wet density. The addition of SILFOAM® eco SP 7960 at the dry-mix stage is evaluated by measuring flow spread according to EN 1015-3:1999 and residual surface defects after 24 h of curing. A formulation that collapses foam too aggressively may show lower flow retention because the air voids that act as internal ball bearings are removed. Therefore the dosage is often adjusted in increments of 0.05 wt% until the surface is free of macro-bubbles while maintaining the specified flow. Field validation on the actual production mixer is necessary because bench-scale flow tests do not capture the high-shear foam stability seen in continuous mixing.
Quality control of SILFOAM® eco SP 7960 at the dry-mix plant requires verification of lot consistency for bulk density, moisture content, and bio-based carbon fraction. The table below lists the principal test methods used to qualify the product and the associated application property. The exact acceptance limits are given in the current manufacturer’s certificate of analysis and should be applied according to the plant’s raw-material specification.
| QC or Application Property | Reference Method or Standard | Relevance to Dry-Mix Use |
|---|---|---|
| Bio-based carbon fraction | ASTM D6866-21 | Quantifies renewable carbon content of the carrier system |
| Bulk density | ISO 697:1981 or EN 543:2003 | Feeder and silo sizing; dry-blend uniformity |
| Moisture content | ISO 787-2:1981 | Controls powder flow and storage stability |
| Air content in fresh mortar | ASTM C185-20 or EN 1015-7:1998 | Evaluates defoaming efficiency during mixing |
| Compressive strength of mortar | ASTM C109/C109M-21 or EN 196-1:2016 | Confirms that air reduction translates to strength gain |
| Tensile adhesion for tile adhesives | EN 12004-1:2017 / ISO 13007-1:2014 | Detects loss of bonding from overdose or surface hydrophobing |
| Pull-off strength for repair mortars | EN 1542:1999 | Verifies interlayer adhesion and substrate bond |
The product should be stored in unopened original containers in a dry area at temperatures between 5 °C and 40 °C. Exposure to high relative humidity above 60 % RH can cause the powder to cake and reduce dosing accuracy. Because the carrier is hygroscopic, partial bags should be resealed immediately. In dry-mix plants, the powder should not be pre-blended with liquid admixtures or with high-moisture aggregates. Compatibility with air-entraining admixtures should be tested on a case-by-case basis because silicone droplets can compete with surfactants for the air–water interface. If the formulation requires both controlled air entrainment for freeze-thaw resistance and defoaming for macro-foam control, a sequential addition strategy may be required. The product is not intended to replace high-dosage air detrainment in aerated concrete or foamed mortar applications where stable microfoam is part of the product design.
