Surfactant rebinding is a significant factor that influences the reformation of foam. The thwarting of this rebinding process is a key strategy in foam prevention and a central role that dewetting plays in foam control systems.

Surfactants are amphiphilic molecules that reduce surface tension and facilitate the formation of foam when dispersed in a liquid medium. When foam collapses, these surfactants ideally tend to regroup or rebind at the surface, creating a condition ripe for foam reformation. Here’s how preventing surfactant rebinding contributes substantially to hampering foam reformation:

Blocking surfactant rebinding reduces the surface tension of the liquid medium. Reduced surface tension means less chance for foam stabilizing bubbles to form at the surface/interface, thereby preventing foam reformation.

Surfactants are crucial in the formation of stable foam. They arrange themselves at the air-liquid interface of a bubble, providing a protective shell around the bubbles, preventing the bubbles from coalescing and bursting rapidly. By stopping the rebinding of these surfactants, we can prevent the formation of this stable, long-lasting foam.

When surfactant molecules rebind at the surface, they create a thin film or lamella between the bubbles. This film provides stability to the foam. By preventing the reconnection of surfactants, the formation of foam-stabilizing films is inhibited, reducing the ability of the system to form fresh foam.

By preventing the surfactants from re-attaching at the surface, their interaction with air is also significantly curtailed. Given that foam bubbles need both surfactants and air to form, reducing the availability of one of these components significantly hampers foam formation.

To sum up, surfactant rebinding prevention, facilitated by dewetting, is a potent strategy for effective foam reformation prevention. It operates by disabling several mechanisms critical for foam formation, like reducing surface tension, curbing stable foam formation, blocking protective film creation, and limiting surfactant-air interactions. These measures collectively assure a substantial decrease in foam reformation in defoaming systems.