The effect of PVA foaming characteristics on foam forming

Foam forming is a promising papermaking technology, which can reduce water and energy consumption while saving raw material. It can be used to produce low quantity thick special products such as non-woven fabrics and filter papers with high porosity and smooth surfaces. This study mainly introduced the effect of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) foaming properties on foam forming, including foam generation rate, liquid drainage rate, properties of the suspension and foam stability. Moreover, the effect of surfactant, air content and stirring speed on the behavior and characteristics of the foams were also investigated. The results indicate that foams prepared at 1200 rpm rotational speed under room temperature (25 °C) with a particular surfactant loading range from 0.75 to 1.25% have a life time of 7.5 min and its bubble size is uniform. It is also found that the degree of hydrolysis of PVA, would affect the bubble size and foam stability. Eventually, fiber-based materials with low density and highly porous structure were fabricated via a foam forming technology.