Cement
gel is a jelly like swelling that occurs around each grain
of Portland cement when water is added to the concrete
mix. Aggregate gel is essentially the same. It is the initial
reaction product between cement and water. The gel is the
controlling factor in cracking, uniformity, and structural
quality of concrete. Cement gel relates to the size of
the voids and pores in concrete.
The
cement gel imparts fatty and cohesive properties to the
mix. As hydration of the cement proceeds, the gel partly
crystallizes and on drying, reverts to almost the original
cement grain size.
Gel
size and hydration can vary widely, depending upon water
available and temperature. It is these variations throughout
the concrete which causes variations in the quality and
porosity of concrete for a given mix design.
In
the heat of summer, gels form faster and longer, and large
gels absorb more water from the mix. Thus, the resulting
concrete has poorer quality. As water is consumed by hydration
and rapidly lost through evaporation, internal stresses
are created. The eventual results are shrinkage cracks.
In
cooler weather, gel formation is retarded. Smaller gels
are formed, take longer to form, consume less water, and
as a result less water is required. Because hydration is
slower, less shrinkage occurs, concrete is more dense,
and usually has a higher structural quality.
Concrete
Remedy DS, due to its chemical reaction forming a silica
aero gel, aids in retaining the water in the concrete during
the hydration/curing process, resulting in a higher quality
concrete.
For
this specific application, using Concrete Remedy DS as
a cure for new concrete, a coverage rate of approximately
of 150 - 200 square feet per gallon is recommended.
Technical
Report No. 5
"Capillarity"
"Capillarity" is
the transmission of moisture and water in masonry. By definition,
it is the action by which the surface of a liquid, where
it is in contact with a solid, is elevated or depressed
( rises or falls ). The elevation or depression is caused
by capillary action. By capillary action, moisture may
travel from a lower to higher elevation or can travel in
any direction.
The
amount of moisture that can be transmitted from the ground
by capillary action is often underestimated, if understood
at all. Tests by the Housing and Home Finance Agency (US
Government) conducted at the Forest Products Laboratory
have clearly indicated that as much as 12 gallons of water
per 1,000 sq. ft. per day can be transmitted through a
concrete slab and, if permitted, evaporates into the air.
When the slab is covered by floor covering, this moisture
will carry alkalis, salts or additives from the concrete.
This will collect under the floor covering and attack the
bond of the adhesive, resulting in destruction or deterioration
of the adhesive itself.
This
same principal also applies to vertical concrete, where
fog, dew and dampness can collect causing paint and other
sealants to peel or wear off prematurely.
The
distance which water will rise from the ground by capillary
action is also underestimated. Test by the same US authority
indicate that moisture can climb form a water table that
may be 20 feet below the ground or slab. Obviously, general
ground dampness speeds up the transmission of moisture.
It
is suspected that this transmission may result from a combination
of capillary, absorption and various pressures rather than
capillary alone. Nevertheless, moisture can migrate from
this depth. Concrete Remedy DS, due to its unique penetration
factor and chemical reaction with alkali its ability to
fill voids and create a solid mass, and its ability to
hold a hydrostatic head, will eliminate the problems associated
with capillary action.
A
simple test can establish the amount of Concrete Remedy
DS required to solve the problem. After your first application,
merely tape down several pieces of ordinary dry sponge
or foam rubber to the treated surface. After 24 hours,
under normal conditions, the sponge will appear dry and
the job is completed. However, in extreme problem areas
of excessive moisture and seepage, the sponge will be be
damp to wet. When this occurs it is an indication the treatment
must be repeated as many times as is necessary until the
sponge is dry after 24 hours.
The
Concrete Remedy DS treatment is now permanent. No other
waterproofing treatment will EVER be necessary.
Technical
Report No. 6
The "Alkali Problem" (in concrete walls and subfloors)
Alkali
is never pure and rarely stable. It is made up of combination
of elements and almost always reacts with other elements
or chemicals.
We
start with hydrogen; then lithium, sodium, potassium, rubidium,
cesium and francium. Francium is radioactive with a half-life
of 20 minutes. The other five are the very active alkali
metals. Each element has electrons and molecules which
are always eager to take part in chemical reactions with
other elements.
The
two most important alkali metals are sodium and potassium.
We find a hint of them in potassium carbonate and sodium
carbonate. Sodium makes up 2.6% of the earths crust and
potassium makes 2.5%, yet we never see them. They are always
found in combinations with other elements. Neither of them
could remain in a pure state in air or moisture.
The
increased use of concrete subfloors in direct contact with
the ground makes it more important than ever to completely
understand the moisture and alkali inherent in these subfloors
and their effects on paints and floor coverings.
Well
known as the "alkali problem", this condition
is primarily a problem of moisture. Alkali is present in
every concrete slab and is more detrimental when moisture
is present. On adequately ventilated suspended concrete
subfloors, moisture is not present in troublesome quantities.
However, when the slab is in direct contact with the ground
or a poorly ventilated air space, moisture is brought up
through the slab by capillary action. It dissolves the
alkaline salts in the concrete and appears at the surface
as a destructive alkaline solution causing spalling and
efflorescence.
Although
moisture and alkali conditions can vary greatly, there
is always sufficient moisture in the ground and alkali
in concrete to present an " alkali problem " on subfloors.
It is never safe to assume that a concrete slab will always
be dry because it has been dry until now. When paint or
floor coverings are applied, even a small undetected amount
of moisture can cause coverings to warp, buckle or separate
from the concrete surface.
Concrete
Remedy DS will alleviate this problem by sealing, waterproofing
and moisture proofing the concrete slab eliminating spalling
and efflorescence, leaving clean surfaces similar to " etching " to
which paint or mastics and adhesive can effectively secure
a better bond with.
Concrete
Remedy DS treatment will eliminate these destructive, moisture
and alkali related problems for Ever.
Technical
Report No. 7
Concrete Dusting and Wear Due to Abrasion
The
following is a quotation from Chemistry and Technology
of Paints, by Maximilian Toch, published by D. Van Nostrand
Co., New York, New York:
" Portland
cement is a rocklike alkaline lime substance composed
of sand and / or gravel mixed with cement and water.
In attempting to apply paints, adhesives or floor coverings,
it is recommended to clean the surface first. Surfaces
are cleansed with muriatic, sulfuric or acetic acids.
The application of these acids to Portland cement destroys
the cement because they dissolve out the lime and leave
the sand and aggregate loosely bound.
Portland
cement floors ' dust up' merely under the abrasion of
(shoe) heels. Factories that have machinery, calculators,
electronic or delicate instruments have found it impossible
to operate under these dusting conditions. To alleviate
these conditions, paint or floor coverings are used."
The
above quotation is used to illustrate that concrete alone
creates a multitude of problems. Coatings such as paint
and floor coverings are used in an attempt to alleviate
or enhance the use of masonry. However, such coatings have
proven completely ineffectual when excessive moisture and
alkali contents are present.
Concrete
dusting, ( small particles of the surface broken free)
, is caused by any vehicular, foot, machinery and other
traffic over the concrete surface. Dusting is a costly
foe to efficiency due to damages it causes to machinery,
merchandise, other equipment, and environmental health.
In
extreme situations dusting can be classed as wear due to
abrasion (i.e. high traffic areas like bridge decks, garages,
stairs, etc.) and the result can be costly premature replacement
of the surface or structure.
Concrete
Remedy DS's chemical reaction with the alkali and lime
which causes the independent particles of concrete to solidify,
harden and strengthen the concrete, along with its ability
to stop the penetration or transmission of moisture, can
permanently eliminate dusting and abrasion due to wear
for Ever.
Concrete
Remedy DS can eliminate the necessity of a floor covering.
Technical
Report No. 8
Aid for the Floor Trade
Floor
covering failures are caused by one or more combinations
of the following :
- Moisture
- Alkali
- Hydrostatic
Pressure
To
apply asphalt, vinyl or rubber tiles and other floor coverings,
there usually must be some site preparation consisting
of the removal of contaminates and loose particulate/dust
from the surface to be covered. Mastics or adhesives of
some kind must usually be applied in order to bond the
covering to the surface.
We
are aware of the make-up of concrete and the problems built
into using it in the form of alkali, lime and moisture.
We are also aware of the factors of porosity and how the
water used to mix the cement and aggregates evaporates
during the long curing period leaving mass voids and pores
through which moisture passes and mixes with the alkali.
When
the slab is covered, the drawing action (from capillary
action) on the moisture in and under the slab, is greatly
increased. When this alkali-rich moisture is drawn up into
contact with the adhesives, the following occurs: The adhesive
emulsifies or starts to deteriorate, resulting in bubbles
or blistering which cause warping, cracking, and peeling
(off) of the adhesive and/or the cover, necessitating replacement
of one or both, at substantial cost.
Concrete
Remedy DS, due to its internal chemical reaction caused
gels, its ability to hold a hydrostatic head, and the fact
that it is not a surface, but, an internal sealer, will
solve the problems related to the floor covering trade
because Concrete Remedy DS prevents the moisture from being
drawn up into contact with the adhesives or mastics for
EVER.
Please
Note: It must not be overlooked by applicators that
Concrete Remedy DS is an internal sealer, and as such,
the surface to be treated can not be so, unless it is
bare. The surface must be free of any surface coating
or contaminant prior to the application of Concrete Remedy
DS.
Technical
Report No. 9
Aid for the Paint Trade
Concrete
Remedy DS treatment is essential if concrete is to be painted.
Why
do paints blister or crack on concrete surfaces? It is
due to a problem called saponification (soap creation).
When soap is manufactured, the basic ingredients are a
form of alkali and oil. The combination of alkali in the
concrete and the oil in the paint causes saponification,
which in this case is more commonly identified as flaking,
blistering, and peeling of paint from the surface.
Even
the much improved vinyl, rubber and latex based paints
tend to peel and crack off of the surface.
The
prime reason for this is that the alkali and lime are still "fighting" the
paints. If these coatings are being used to seal or waterproof
the surface they will need to be reapplied periodically
to be effective, requiring costly stripping before each
re-application, or the formation of many layers of material
in various states of decomposition. Such multiple layers
will not allow the concrete floor to breathe, and if concrete
can not breathe it will decompose and disintegrate.
The
application of Concrete Remedy DS to concrete surfaces
will give a permanently alkali and moisture free surface
for better bonding of paints. When applied in accordance
with the manufacturer's directions, the paint life on a
structure can be increased up to 300%, providing a longer
' fresh paint ' appearance and reducing maintenance cost.
Close
examination of the concrete, after Concrete Remedy DS has
been applied and the surface washed, will reveal clean
pores. In many cases this has the same effect as ' etching'
which is quite often necessary prior to applications of
paints and adhesives for better bonding.
Any
surface treatment or coating must be removed prior to applying
Concrete Remedy DS to allow it to penetrate the surface.
On occasion, foreign matter such as grease and oils will
be floated to the surface by the Concrete Remedy DS as
it penetrates the concrete. This foreign matter should
be flushed off with water prior to painting. In areas where
there is an excessive amount of foreign matter, several
rinsing may be necessary.
Technical
Report No. 10
Wall Sweating Problems
With
respect to wall sweating, it should be remembered that
the surface of most common concrete building materials
have an affinity for water molecules. This molecular film
is proportionate to the relative humidity. At saturation
points, all voids, pores and capillaries can become completely
filled. When the atmospheric conditions, inside or outside,
(which caused the excessive moisture in the first place)
is alleviated, the porous wall may become filled to saturation
point with moisture in liquid form.
This
condition then provides an excellent opportunity for (water)
vapor to travel within a wall or structure. In its travels,
the vapor may strike a cold(er) area or dew point and condense
in sufficient quantities to reach the interior wall surfaces
and appear as wall sweat or bleeding. Both sweating and
the condensation which causes it, can be greatly affected
by temperature, humidity, wind velocity, soil moisture
conditions, etc.
These
conditions, if allowed to go unchecked, can cause peeling
paints, spalling, formation of mildew, and efflorescence
resulting in heavy maintenance costs. All porous masonry
materials will be subject to the same conditions unless
the proper steps are taken to avoid such conditions.
The
application of Concrete Remedy DS in the same manner as
for waterproofing, will, due to its unique capabilities
and results, stop these conditions which lead to wall sweating
for EVER.
