| abstract |
A foam regulator that may be universally used in aqueous systems tending to foam has a good spontaneous effect in small amounts and keeps this effect for a long time. It may be adapted so that it is effective even at low temperatures while unfolding its effect through a wide temperature range. This foam regulator may be prepared as a pourable foam regulating agent and may also be incorporated into finished washing and cleaning products and be effective through a wide temperature range. When used in the paint and varnish industry, it allows a homogeneous coat of paint or varnish to be obtained, and in paper coating is produces a uniform coat of paint without surface irregularities. This foam regulator is an ester group-containing block polymer having the general formula: A-(CH2CH2O)n-B, in which n equals 4 to 300, A stands for a possibly polymer hydroxycarboxylic acid residue and B stands for hydrogen, an alkyl or alkenyl residue with 1 to 22 C atoms, a phenyl or benzyl residue or A. This polymer may be used as such or as a granulated, pourable foam regulating agent that contains 0.5 to 30 % by weight block polymer adsorbed in 70 % to 99.5 % by weight of a granulated, phosphate-free and water-soluble or water-dispersible carrier. |