As the papermaking industry transforms from traditional handcrafted workshops to modern, smart factories, silicone materials, with their unique molecular structure and functional properties, have become key additives for improving paper quality and optimizing production processes. From pulping and cooking to finished product processing, silicones demonstrate irreplaceable roles in four key areas: defoaming, anti-sticking, softening, and waterproofing, driving the industry's upgrade towards high efficiency, environmental friendliness, and high added value.

1. Highly Efficient Defoaming: Solving the Foam Dilemma
During the pulping process, lignin, cellulose, and other materials release surfactants during cooking and stirring. These form stubborn foam upon contact with air. This foam not only reduces cooking efficiency but also causes defects such as pinholes and speckling in the paper during papermaking. Silicone defoamers reduce the surface tension of the liquid, quickly penetrating and disrupting the foam film, achieving "instantaneous defoaming." For example, at 80°C, just 0.3ml of Dow Chemical's AFE-7610 silicone defoaming emulsion can completely dissipate foam from 1L of pulping black liquor. Its alkali and high-temperature resistance prevents the problem of silicone grease clogging filters caused by traditional defoamers. In papermaking wastewater treatment, the fatty alcohol polyether defoamer P-2100, through its dispersibility design, continuously suppresses foaming under strong shear conditions, ensuring stable operation of the white water circulation system.

II. Anti-sticking and Anti-clogging: Improving Production Continuity
In the production of specialty papers such as pressure-sensitive tape substrates and label paper, silicone release agents form a low-surface-energy coating through a cross-linking reaction with polydimethylsiloxane, achieving easy peeling without residue. These addition-reaction silicone release agents utilize platinum-based catalysts and rapidly crosslink at low temperatures. A coating amount as precise as 0.1-0.5g/m² can achieve a peel strength of ≤5g/25mm. After adopting silicone release agents, a tape manufacturer saw its product qualification rate increase from 82% to 98%, and its mold replacement cycle was tripled.

III. Functional Modification: Imparting New Properties to Paper
Amino-modified silicone oil forms a hydrophobic film on the paper surface through hydrogen bonding between amino groups and fiber hydroxyl groups. This reduces interfiber hydrogen bonding, softening the paper while also imparting antistatic properties. Experimental data shows that adding 0.3% amino silicone oil to household paper increases softness by 40% and retains 95% of its tensile strength. Combining hydrogenated silicone oil with hydroxyl silicone oil can produce hydrophobic paper with a contact angle exceeding 120°. This can be used in high-end applications such as PM2.5 mask filters, achieving water repellency and stain resistance while maintaining breathability.

IV. Green Transformation: Driving Sustainable Development
With the advancement of the "dual carbon" goals, the environmental value of silicone materials in the papermaking industry is becoming increasingly prominent. Replacing mineral oil-based products with water-based silicone defoamers reduces wastewater COD by 30%. Silicone oil softeners have a biodegradability rate exceeding 90%, far exceeding that of traditional quaternary ammonium softeners. After adopting a full-process silicone solution, a large paper company reduced its annual use of chemical additives by 1,200 tons and lowered its carbon emissions by 850 tons.

From eliminating production risks to creating product value, silicone materials are profoundly reshaping the paper industry's technological chain. With breakthroughs in nano-modification and composite functionalization technologies, silicones will open up broader applications in specialty papers, packaging materials, and bio-based paper, continuously driving the industry towards high-end and green development.