Polymers concretes

Concretes with polymers are generally classified into three categories as polymer concrete (PC), polymer Portland cement concrete (PPCC), which is also known as latex-modified concrete (LMC) and polymer-impregnated concrete (PIC) according to their process technologies. 

Polymer concrete is a composite material formed by polymerising a monomer and aggregate mixture. There is no other cementitious material present in it. PPCC (or LMC) is a Portland cement concrete produced usually by replacing a specified portion of the mixing water with a latex (polymer emulsion). It can also be produced by adding a monomer to fresh concrete with subsequent in situ curing and polymerisation. PIC is a hardened Portland cement concrete with impregnated monomer which is polymerised in situ. 

Binders used for polymer concrete include epoxy resins (EP), unsaturated polymer resin (UP), vinyl ester resin (VE), methyl metacrylate (MMA) and furan resins [9-11]. 

The properties of polymer concrete depend on the characteristics of the polymer and the aggregate used and the formulation [12, 13]. Broadly speaking, the unique properties of polymer concrete are [13]  

Polymer concrete production uses equipment and methods that are being used for producing Portland cement concrete. In the design of polymer concrete mixes, the main objective is to obtain a suitable particle size distribution of the aggregate so that a good workability will be attained with a minimum amount of monomer or resin [9]. Aggregates should be dried to at least 3% moisture [11] but moisture contents less than 1% are preferred as moisture reduces the bond between the binder and the aggregate [14]. 

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In other surfactant uses, dodecanol—tetradecanol is employed to prepare porous concrete (39), stearyl alcohol is used to make a polymer concrete (40), and lauryl alcohol is utilized for froth flotation of ores (41). A foamed composition of hexadecanol is used for textile printing (42) and a foamed composition of octadecanol is used for coating polymers (43). On the other hand, foam is controUed by detergent range alcohols in appHcations by lauryl alcohol in steel cleaning (44), by octadecanol in a detergent composition (45), and by eicosanol—docosanol in various systems (46). 

Electrodeposition. Electro deposition, the most important of the unit processes in electrorefining, is performed in lead- or plastic-lined concrete cells or, more recently, in polymer—concrete electrolytic cells. A refinery having an aimual production of 175,000 t might have as many as 1250 cells in the tank house. The cells are multiply coimected such that anodes and cathodes are placed alternately and coimected in parallel. Each cell is a separate unit and electrically coimected to adjacent cells by a bus bar. 

Shaw, J. D. N., Polymer concretes-UK experiences, paper presented at the Conference on Polymers in Concrete, Fourth International Congress, September (1984). 

Polymers for Advanced Technologies 6, No. 11, Nov. 1995, p.688-92 MAKING POLYMER CONCRETE AND POLYMER MORTAR USING SYNTHESISED UNSATURATED POLYESTER RESINS FROM POLY(ETHYLENE TEREPHTHALATE) WASTE Abdel-Azim A AA Attia IA Egyptian Petroleum Research Institute Carro,Ain Shams University... 

High-temperature cement formulations are basically polymer concrete. Mainly unsaturated polyesters or vinyl ester resins with allylphthalate as vinyl monomer are in use [927]. Cming is achieved with peroxides, which decompose sufficiently fast at temperamres between 120° and 200° C. Polymer concrete requires additional materials, which compensate shrinkage. 

Edmeades, R.M. and Hewlett, P.C. (1975). Proceedings of the First International Congress on Polymer Concretes. Eondon, Section 7, Paper 10. 

Popovics, S. (1985). Polymer Concrete, Uses, Materials and Properties, ACI, Detroit, SP-89, 207-29. 

E. L. Kukacka, ed., Applications of Polymer Concrete, ACI, Detroit, Mich. (1981). 

GRI (Gas Research Institute). 1990. Development of Polymer Concrete for Dike Insulation at LNG Facilities Phase IV, Low-Cost Materials. Final Report no. GRI 90/0259. Chicago, IL Gas Research Institute. 

Finally some important properties of cement concrete, polymer concrete, and sulfur concrete are compared with each other. For the polymer concrete the data of a commercial polyester concrete were used. 

Comparing the cost of the various concretes shows that at times of low sulfur prices, sulfur concrete can even compete with high-strength cement concrete. The costs of polymer concrete per cubic meter are quite enormous. Yet the substantially higher production costs of polymer concrete have not been considered yet. The prices used for this comparison are based on European conditions. To assess the sulfur concrete costs we used two extreme sulfur prices which had to be paid,in the last years. The total costs of DCP-modified sulfur concrete rose only negligibly with the addition of this plasticizer (Table IX). 

Epoxy seal coating was first applied as test patches in industrial plants in 1953. In 1957 epoxy polymer concrete was first used as a wearing course in the repair of popouts and spalled areas on the surfaces of various bridge decks in California (ACI, 1993). 

Acrylic polymer concrete and mortars fast curing good chemical properties patch repairs... 

High molecular weight methacrylate monomers provide advanced technology for polymer concretes and crack sealers. These systems have the advantage of, for example, low odour, low-level toxicity and low shrinkage. 

Table 5.6 Typical properties of methacrylate polymer concrete...

ACI (1993) Guide for polymer concrete overlays. ACI Material Journal, 90(5), 499-522. Brieton, P.R. (1994) Sealant materials properties and performance - an overview, in European Adhesive and Sealant Year Book 1994, FMJ International, Redhill, Surrey, pp. 7-8. 

ACI Committee 548 (1993) Guide for Polymer Concrete Overlays, ACI Materials Journal (Sept.-Oct.), 504. 

Polymer concrete or mortar A concrete or mortar in which a resin serves as a binder. 

C-579 Compressive strength of chemical-resistant mortars, grouts, monolithic surfacing and polymer concrete (based on resin, silicate, silica and sulphur binders). 

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