New concrete admixture reduces heat of hydration
Published by Jonathan Rowland,
Editor
World Cement,
New Technology Solutions, a subsidiary of Silicone Solutions, has developed CoolCure, a patent-pending concrete admixture that reduces or eliminates the heat of hydration, as well as enabling increases in compressive strength and working/placement time.
As a result, typical Portland cements can be converted into a Type IV, low-heat cement through the addition of CoolCure.
According to CoolCure’s creators, it works “by balancing the chemistry” of concrete. “This minimises byproducts and results in a more efficient reaction.”
The greater efficiency in chemical reaction results in the formation of a larger number of strength-generating bonds within the concrete, the company continued. While the heat of hydration is reduced by minimising the formation of excess calcium hydroxide.
In addition, CoolCure reduced the potential for delayed alkali-silica reaction, which occurs when the pH of concrete exceeds 12.5 and some Portland cement is not fully wetted-out in the mix.
The use of CoolCure limits the concrete’s pH to 12.4, the company said, while fully wetting out the portland cement.
CoolCure also offers safety benefits over Portland cement, which is caustic: “workers in contact with wet portland cement are at risk of chemical burns and developing skin problems. CoolCure does not burn the skin.”
CoolCure offers the industry the opportunity to attain ‘a higher level of technology in practive, while obtaining a progressive leap forward in achieving a more environmentally-friendly cement,” said New Technology Solutions. “We view CoolCure as a major step forward in technology for the 21st Century.”
Read the article online at: https://www.worldcement.com/product-news/07112017/new-concrete-admixture-reduced-heat-of-hydration/
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