Sika Group announces an innovative technology for the production of modifying additives
Sika, one of the world's leading manufacturers of materials and technologies for building chemicals, has announced a new technology, Sika ViscoCrete, based on polymers that are mainly produced from renewable raw materials. In the field of construction, this technology is the first of its kind.
Depending on the purpose of use, polymers, which are the main component of superplasticizing additives, are added to concrete mixes to improve such characteristics as workability, setting time and durability. The ViscoCrete product line was launched at the end of 2013 in India, and it will launch in North America and Europe in 2014.
The key components of standard concrete additives are polymer components that are produced from hydrocarbon-based raw materials. In the new product, more than 80% of the hydrocarbon feedstock is replaced with renewable plant substances that remain during sugar production. In addition to the environmental benefits, ViscoCrete products based on biological raw materials also improve the performance of concrete, including reducing the water content and functional features of the freshly laid concrete mix.
Even if concrete additives are only 2-6 kg per cubic meter of concrete, they play an important role in improving the durability characteristics of concrete. Superplasticizers can reduce the total content of the binder component, while preserving the product characteristics. In addition, when using alternative mineral binders, they reduce the content of clinker components in the mixture. This helps reduce energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions from concrete by more than 20% over the entire service life.
"Constant development of new innovative technologies is one of the main advantages of Sika. The company employs more than 800 employees worldwide in R&D, and its total research and development expenditure in 2013 was approximately 137 million euros, which is approximately equivalent to 3.2% of sales. All this allowed Sika to become number one in the innovation rating compiled by the Munich Research Institute The Value Group, " said Sergey Zyuzya, CEO of Sika Russia.