Defoamer, also known as defoamer or defoamer, is a specialized industrial equipment designed to remove bubbles from materials such as liquids, colloids, and slurries. In the field of precision manufacturing, residual bubbles in materials often lead to a series of problems such as product delamination, short circuits, decreased strength, and appearance defects. Therefore, the defoaming process almost runs through many high-end manufacturing processes such as semiconductors, displays, new energy, and medical. This article will systematically sort out the role, purpose, and application fields of the defoamer, helping everyone to fully understand this "invisible behind the scenes hero".
1、 The function of defoamer
The function of a defoamer can be summarized as "removing bubbles and improving quality", which is specifically reflected in the following aspects:
Removing internal bubbles in materials: By vacuum, pressure, centrifugation, and other methods, bubbles inside materials such as glue, slurry, and resin are expelled to avoid the formation of voids or defects in the product.
Enhancing adhesion between materials: In the bonding process between polarizing film and LCD glass, ITO film and glass, etc., defoaming treatment can eliminate residual bubbles at the bonding interface, enhance the bonding strength between different materials, and prevent delamination in the later stage.
Improving product density and appearance quality: After removing bubbles, the internal structure of the product becomes denser, the surface becomes smoother, and the yield rate is significantly improved.
Ensuring product electrical performance and reliability: for batteries LED、 For semiconductor packaging and other products, bubbles may cause short circuits and failures, and defoaming treatment is a key process to ensure reliability.
2、 Working principle of defoamer
According to different process principles, defoamers are mainly divided into two categories: vacuum defoamers and high-pressure defoamers:
Vacuum defoaming: In a vacuum environment, the bubbles inside the material expand and float due to the pressure difference between the inside and outside, and eventually burst and escape. It is suitable for handling slurries with low viscosity and temperature sensitivity.
High pressure defoaming (pressure defoaming): Place the workpiece in a sealed pressure tank, soften the adhesive layer by heating, and then apply high pressure to extrude and compact the bubbles. It is commonly used in processes such as polarizer lamination, touch screen lamination, and LCD modules. High pressure defoamers usually use stainless steel pressure tanks, equipped with digital pressure gauges and safety interlock protection devices to ensure safe and reliable operation.
Taking the high-pressure defoamer produced by PowerDe Automation Precision Equipment Co., Ltd. in Shenzhen as an example, its tank body is made of SUS304 stainless steel, with a safety level of Class 2 pressure vessel standard. The operating pressure is 0.1~0.7Mpa, and the test pressure is 1Mpa. The pressure display adopts digital display, and the unit can be switched between Mpa, kgf/cm2, bar, and psi, balancing process flexibility and safety.
3、 The purpose of the defoamer
The use of defoamers is very extensive, and they may be used in any process that requires the removal of internal bubbles in materials
Display and touch industry: polarizer lamination, OCA adhesive lamination, defoaming after touch screen lamination, and defoaming treatment for LCD modules and OLED modules.
Semiconductor industry: bubble removal in processes such as chip packaging, wafer bonding, TGV packaging, etc.
New energy industry: Material processing in processes such as lithium battery electrode slurry defoaming, perovskite solar cells, and thin film cells.
Electronic components: defoaming in LED packaging, PCB dispensing, power module encapsulation, and other processes.
Medical and chemical industries: defoaming and defoaming of medical consumables injection molding, drug treatment, cosmetics, resins, silicone and other materials.
4、 Application fields of defoamer
The application of defoamers is most concentrated in the following fields:
Display and touch module manufacturing: This is the most typical application scenario for high-pressure defoamers. After the polarizer is bonded to LCD glass and ITO film is bonded to glass, high-pressure defoaming is used to remove bubbles at the bonding interface, enhance adhesion, and improve display quality.
Semiconductor packaging and advanced manufacturing: With the development of semiconductor processes towards high precision and integration, processes such as vacuum bonding and TGV alignment packaging have increasingly high requirements for bubble control, and defoaming equipment has become a standard on production lines.
New energy and photovoltaics: In production lines such as lithium batteries, perovskite batteries, and thin-film solar cells, the defoaming treatment of electrode slurries and thin-film materials directly affects the performance and lifespan of the batteries.
High end equipment and automated production line: In the automated bonding, laminating, and assembly line, the defoamer is embedded as a key process equipment in the production line and linked with MES and other systems to achieve intelligent production.
5、 How to choose a defoamer and defoamer manufacturer
When choosing a defoamer, it is recommended to focus on the following points:
Material and safety considerations: Pressure tanks should be made of SUS304 stainless steel and have pressure vessel safety certification, equipped with safety devices such as over temperature and over pressure, interlock protection, etc.
Check pressure and temperature control accuracy: Select the appropriate range of pressure and temperature control accuracy according to process requirements to ensure process repeatability.
Judging the degree of automation: Priority should be given to equipment equipped with PLC, touch screen, and digital pressure gauge, which are easy to operate and have controllable parameters.
Judging from the manufacturer's strength: Choose a defoamer manufacturer with technical accumulation and comprehensive after-sales service. It is recommended to conduct on-site inspections or sample tests.
Shenzhen PowerDe Automation Precision Equipment Co., Ltd. (PowerDe) was established in 2007 and has been rated as a national high-tech enterprise for four consecutive years. It has nearly 100 patented technologies and has been deeply involved in the fields of semiconductor vacuum bonding, display bonding, perovskite photovoltaics, and clean technology for many years. PowerDe can provide a series of equipment such as high-pressure defoamers, vacuum bonding machines, and automatic laminating machines, and provide customized production line solutions for customers.
Conclusion
Although defoamers are not directly visible like consumer electronics, they are an indispensable part of the modern precision manufacturing chain. From mobile phone screens to new energy vehicle batteries, from semiconductor packaging to photovoltaic modules, defoamers silently ensure the quality and reliability of countless products. Understanding the role, purpose, and application areas of defoamers can help manufacturing companies make more scientific decisions in process planning and equipment selection.
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