(otherwise known as cast stone) – a material that combines strength and beauty natural stone With affordable price(thanks to cheap mineral additives) and ease of manufacture. Possibility of using almost any filler (sand, granite and marble chips, glass and many others) guarantees variety. And the presence of a polymer binder makes them durable, resistant to water and overheating.
Let's look at typical technological processes for producing polymer concrete, as well as the possibility of creating it yourself.
To obtain the product you need:
The production process can occur using batch or continuous technology.
The following video talks about the production and spraying of lightweight polymer concrete:
To make casting stone, you will need a mold well coated with a special release agent (otherwise ready product it will be impossible to remove). The mold can be made of silicone, fiberglass, metal or even chipboard (budget option).
In production conditions at a polymer concrete manufacturing plant, if necessary, heat treatment is carried out for faster hardening of parts. In other cases, they wait for the natural completion of this process.
We will tell you about machines, molds and other equipment for the production of polymer concrete products below.
For those who dream of taking aim at continuous technology and solid volumes by organizing a large industrial production, special conveyor equipment will be required. Which will include machines for dosing, mixing, casting, finishing, as well as a mechanized warehouse.
All this will cost a tidy sum of several million dollars. If you limit yourself to only branded turnkey equipment, then the costs will be significantly less - from 30 to 50 thousand dollars.
But it is still not always possible to find money for a purchase, especially in our time. difficult time. However, you can get by with even less money. If you purchase all the necessary cars and other things separately. And make some things yourself. Read more about this option below.
So, here is a list of equipment and devices that you cannot do without:
We will talk about emissions into the atmosphere from the production of polymer concrete further.
This video will tell you about another method of producing polymer concrete:
As mentioned just above, during casting there is a release of harmful components.
These facts force polymer concrete manufacturers to carefully equip the casting room, making it airtight, installing a powerful hood above the table, and not forgetting about their own protection (respirator). And if all these measures are followed, and the air escaping into the hood is cleaned, then there will be no emissions into the atmosphere (after all, the room is sealed).
Read below to learn how to make elastic polymer concrete yourself (with your own hands).
And now we’ll talk about how to make small products from fashionable cast stone yourself, spending a minimum of money. For example, these could be flower pots, countertops, window sills (especially popular, as they are warmer than marble or granite).
First you need to think about the room - you will need 80 square meters total area. It is advisable to look for a suitable house somewhere on the outskirts. And 12 square meters You will immediately need to fence off the casting room, and you will have to try to seal all the cracks as much as possible. To prevent styrene from leaking.
In the center of this room we make a table on a frame made of iron corners, covering it with a chipboard tabletop. We set its surface level - this is important! We install a hood above the table - a metal box with an electric motor.
To make it light, we attach lamps on top daylight. We put the same table in the next room - for finishing and other work. Here we will place tools and containers for drying chalk and sand (low metal boxes).
Required raw materials:
Safety measures: when weighing the resin, as well as working with it, with the gelcoat and with the mixture poured into the mold, we work only in a respirator, under a hood. Add the hardener with a syringe while wearing rubber gloves.
The following video will tell you how to make polymer concrete with streaks with your own hands:
Polymer concrete is a special building material that is used as a binding element and also to replace lime cement. In some cases, the polymer is used as an addition to Portland cement. It is a universal, durable composite substance obtained by mixing various mineral fillers with synthetic or natural binding agents. This advanced technical material used in many industries, but most common in construction industry.
Three types of polymer concrete are used in construction. Next, we will take a closer look at their manufacturing technology, scope of application and compositions in order to have general idea about polymer concretes and their modifications.
This type of concrete is made from Portland cement material with modified polymers such as acrylic, polyvinyl acetate and ethylene vinyl acetate. It has good adhesion, high bending strength and low permeability.
Acrylic polymer modified concrete is characterized by durable color, which is why it is in great demand among builders and architects. Its chemical modification is similar to the traditional cement variation. The amount of polymer is usually from 10 to 20%. Concrete modified in this way has a lower degree of permeability and higher density than pure cement. However, its structural integrity is significantly dependent on the Portland cement binder.
Concrete may take longer to degrade if it has high density and less surface area. A relative improvement in the chemical resistance of the polymer-modified material to Portland cement is possible in an acidic environment.
Polymer impregnation for concrete is usually made by incorporating a low-density monomer into hydrated Portland cement, followed by radiation or thermal catalytic polymerization. The modular elasticity of this type of concrete is 50-100% higher than that of conventional concrete.
However, the modulus of the polymer is 10% greater than that of normal concrete. Thanks to these excellent characteristics, among the many options for using polymer building materials, we can specifically mention the production of:
The incorporation process technology involves drying the concrete to remove moisture from its surface, using the monomers in a thin layer of sand, and then polymerizing the monomers using heat flow. Hence, concrete surfaces have lower water permeability, absorption, abrasion resistance and generally high strength. Also, to increase wear resistance, resistance to cold and moisture, polymer bricks, stones, floors, etc. are used.
It has nothing in common with our usual Portland cement. It is formed by combining stones with a polymer binder that does not contain water. Polystyrene, acrylic and epoxy resins are the monomers that are widely used in making this type of concrete. Sulfur is also considered as a polymer. Sulfur concrete is used for buildings that require high resistance to acidic environments. Thermoplastic polymers, but most commonly thermoset resins, are used as the main polymer component due to their high thermal stability and resistance to wide range chemical substances.
Polymer concrete consists of aggregates that include silica, quartz, granite, limestone and other high-quality materials. The unit must be good quality, free from dust, debris and excess moisture. Failure to meet these criteria may reduce the bond strength between the polymer binder and the aggregate.
Modern building material differs from its predecessors. It has the following characteristics:
Polymer concrete can be used for new construction or renovation of old material. Its adhesive properties make it possible to restore both polymer and conventional cement-based concrete. Low permeability and corrosion resistance allow its use in swimming pools, sewerage systems, drainage channels, electrolytic cells and other structures containing liquids or harsh chemicals. It is suitable for well construction and rehabilitation due to its ability to resist toxic and corrosive sewer gases and bacteria commonly found in plumbing systems.
Unlike traditional concrete structures, it does not require coating or welding of protected PVC seams. You can see the use of polymer concrete on city streets. It is used in the construction of road barriers, sidewalks, drainage ditches, and fountains. Also on the street, concrete is added to asphalt during construction. open areas, runways and other objects that are under open air and are constantly exposed to external atmospheric influences.
The main difference between polymer concrete and ordinary concrete is that during its production high molecular weight compounds are added to the initial solution. organic compounds. If we talk in simple language, then in the composition of such a solution the role of a binder is played by resins: epoxy, polyvinyl, polyester, polyurethane, methyl methacrylate or others. Also included of this material To improve various properties, components such as solvents, hardeners, catalysts and others are added.
This material is used for external or interior decoration various buildings and premises, as well as in road construction, landscape design and in the manufacture of various small architectural forms. Thanks to the ability to vary the consistency of the material during its production, polymer concrete can be used on both horizontal and vertical planes.
The main components for the production of geopolymer concrete are slag, ash, liquid glass, binding resins. During the polymerization of such a solution, a monolith is formed, which, both in strength and in most other technical characteristics, is significantly superior to ordinary concrete. Compared to a solution prepared on the basis of Portland cement, it has several advantages:
Also, this building material is lightweight and completely environmentally friendly. If we talk about disadvantages, then this material has only one. Due to the fact that it was developed not so long ago, and high-quality components are used for its production, it is quite expensive. However, there is every reason to believe that in the very near future it will become the most popular type of concrete used in construction.
In addition to the components already mentioned, PVA glue, latexes and water-soluble resins are most often used as additives for geopolymer concrete. If PVA is used, then only the type that uses polyvinyl alcohol as an emulsifier should be selected.
When this mixture dries, a durable film forms on the surface, which swells over time and absorbs water. That is why during the hardening of the material it is not allowed to come into contact with air with increased content moisture.
The optimal amount of various additives for such a material is most often determined experimentally. However, the security deposit High Quality solution is the correct ratio of cement and polymer components. The volume of polymer components should be no more than 20% of the total mass of cement. And the volume of water-soluble resins is no more than 2% of the mass of cement. The highest quality can be achieved by using polyamide or epoxy resins, as well as polyethylene-polyamine hardeners.
When preparing geopolymer concrete, like regular concrete, you will need a concrete mixer. First, water and cement specially designed for polymer concrete are poured into it (ordinary Portland cement cannot be used, since it does not suit the characteristics). Then slag and ash are added to the solution in equal parts, after which it is thoroughly mixed. After this, polymer components and additives are added.
The main difference between polymer concrete and other concrete mixtures is the use of organic compounds in production. Polymer concrete is a mixture of various binders and polyester resins, which are combined with various substances(catalysts, hardeners and solvents). Polymer concrete in its physical and mechanical characteristics greatly superior to other types of concrete. It has increased ductility, increased strength, it is not afraid of water and frost, and is resistant to abrasion. If you wish and have some knowledge of production technology, making polymer concrete with your own hands is not difficult.
Polymer concrete for mechanical and physical characteristics superior to all other types of concrete.
By virtue of all positive characteristics The applicability of this material in construction is much higher than that of others. This material is used:
Due to its characteristics, such as high plasticity and low porosity, stable strength, which is achieved in a short period of time, polymer concrete can be produced by vibration molding. In particular, it can be used to work with products of small forms of architecture, decorative items for furniture and load-bearing structures.
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Improvements occur every day, including in the construction industry. Concrete is known more for its strength than its light transmittance. This was the case until a new product appeared on the market - transparent concrete. This material is a mixture of concrete and glass threads that allow ordinary cement mortar accept increased hardness of the concrete solution, plus also quite significant transparency.
Thanks to the presence of glass fibers in concrete, silhouettes can be seen through it.
The technical name for transparent concrete is litracon. It is made in the form of blocks, not much larger than a brick, and because of its transparency it seems completely weightless. This material can rightfully take its place among the decorative building materials. According to the manufacturers, such blocks, in addition to being used in the construction of partitions, can even be used for paving sidewalks, since glass fibers make up only 4% of the total part of the concrete solution, and the material retains many of the advantages of the concrete mixture.
Thanks to the presence of glass fibers in the composition, through the new material it is possible to see the silhouette of a person or, for example, a tree. Blocks made from this material allow you to fill your living space with light, making it light and airy. It seems as if the walls practically do not exist. It is preferable to use such blocks in rooms that were originally built “dead”, this applies to corridors and storage rooms. If, when constructing a partition made of transparent concrete, you use LED backlight, you can achieve amazing effects.
The sizes of the blocks produced can be different, which does not at all prevent the transmission of light through them. These blocks transmit solar and electrical rays up to 20 meters. And production technology may change depending on customer requirements. Glass fibers can be distributed either along the entire perimeter of the block or concentrated in a certain part of it, and in some cases it is possible to form certain contours.
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Printed concrete is widely used for paving sidewalks, pavements, swimming pools, on facades and in interiors.
IN last years are becoming increasingly popular decorative forms concrete. This technology widely used for paving sidewalks, swimming pools, pavements, in the interior and on facades. Surface finishing with colored concrete is increasingly being used, which is also an innovation in the construction industry. This type of concrete is produced by imprinting a texture on the surface of the concrete, thereby imitating any surface - from stone to tile.
For the production of printed concrete, M-300 grade concrete is used using fiberglass as a reinforcing material. After concrete is poured into molds, its surface is imprinted with molds and, as a final stage, it is treated with varnish, which prevents moisture from penetrating into the pores of the concrete, creating the effect of repelling moisture.
Another name for printed concrete is press concrete, which fully reflects its essence: a matrix with a pattern is imprinted on the surface of the coating, thanks to which it is possible to create a complete imitation stone covering with minimal labor costs. Printed concrete combines the main consumer characteristics - wear resistance and decorative appearance. Besides large selection textures for the production of concrete, it is possible to paint it in different colors.
Printed concrete in many ways technical specifications superior to asphalt pavement and concrete tiles. It has increased resistance to aggressive components external environment, and also increased the limit temperature regime from + 50 to -50°С. This coating is easy to clean and non-slip, which makes it indispensable when laying the coating in swimming pools. Such concrete does not lose its original color when exposed to ultraviolet rays. Stunning decorative effects can be achieved when using printed concrete.
A coating made from this material can withstand about 300 freezing and thawing cycles, which makes it the absolute leader among other materials. In addition, such concrete is not subject to destruction under the influence of acids and alkalis, which makes it an excellent material for organizing flooring in garages or auto repair shops.
Polymer concrete is one of the most recent inventions given to us by industrial engineers. The peculiarity of this building material is that it contains various polymer additives. Typical components of such concrete are styrene, polyamide resins, vinyl chloride, various latexes and other substances.
The use of admixtures allows you to change the structure and properties of the concrete mixture and improve it technical indicators. Due to its versatility and ease of production, polymer concrete is used almost everywhere in our time.
There are two types of polymer concrete, each of which is used for separate types construction work. The first option is filled polymer concrete. The structure of this material contains organic compounds that fill the voids between the filler (crushed stone, gravel, quartz sand).
The second option is frame molecular concrete. The voids between the fillers remain unfilled, and polymer materials needed to hold particles together.
Polymer concrete is concrete in which the mineral binder in the form of cement and silicate is replaced in whole or in part by polymer components. The types are as follows:
Why did polymer concrete become worthy competitor traditional building materials? It hardens quickly and becomes as durable as granite. The curing time frame is significantly shorter than the same period for conventional concrete.
Mine maximum limit The polymer component gives strength to concrete a week after pouring. Regular concrete this takes about a month.
Concrete contains waste from agricultural and construction work. Previously, they were not processed in any way and in most cases were simply buried in the ground. The use of waste in the preparation of polymer concrete solves the issue of recycling and will significantly reduce the negative impact on the environment.
Since these same wastes are distributed almost everywhere, there is already a good raw material base for the production of polymer concrete. There is usually no need to purchase any special additives or impurities. The technology for producing such concrete is accessible even to novice builders. In the process of preparing a concrete mixture, everyone can experiment with the amount of additives and impurities, but the initial list of components remains unchanged.
The disadvantages of polymer concrete include a significant proportion of its artificial components. The mixture contains about 10% substances of artificial origin. The second drawback is the lack of standardization according to GOST. You cannot be sure that the concrete you need is available on sale. The third disadvantage is high price due to the price of additives (resins, etc.).
One of the most important components of polymer concrete is fly ash. This substance is a product of coal combustion. The use of ash as an additive has a filling effect on the fresh concrete mixture. The filling effect is based on the ability of the smallest coal particles to fill all voids and porous formations. How smaller sizes ash particles, the more fully this effect is observed. Thanks to this feature of fly ash, hardened concrete becomes much stronger and stronger than usual.
Another important component of the concrete mixture is liquid glass. It has excellent adhesive ability and low cost. Its addition to polymer concrete will be very useful if the finished structure will be located in the open air or exposed to constant exposure to water.
The technical characteristics of polymer concrete of various types are higher than those of other standard ones and, moreover, it is environmentally friendly - it can be used in the construction of buildings in Food Industry. The averages are as follows:
This type of mixture is used as a structural and decorative finishing material.
If you have the necessary knowledge and appropriate materials, you can prepare polymer concrete with your own hands. But it should be taken into account that there is no specific recipe for preparing such concrete; the balance of components is determined based on practical experiments.
The technology for preparing polymer concrete itself is quite simple. Water is poured into the concrete mixer and a small amount of cement. Then slag and fly ash are added in equal quantities. All components are thoroughly mixed. Next comes the turn of the various polymer components. They are added to the previous ingredients, after which the mixture must be mixed again.
Liquid glass, PVA glue, and various water-soluble resins are suitable as polymer additives. PVA glue can be used in any quantity, as it is an excellent filler with good viscosity. Its addition to concrete mortar significantly improves durability parameters finished design, and reduces the percentage of shrinkage.
The ratio between polymers and binders can range from 5:1 to 12:1.
It seems most rational to use polymer concrete as decorative and protective products made of concrete or metal. It is advisable to carry out this or that design entirely only in some cases. Usually this is the manufacture of electrolysis or pickling baths, pipelines or containers for aggressive liquids. The manufacture of building or enclosing structures from this material is neither feasible nor economically profitable.
Polymer concrete has great resistance external influences, so it can be installed without additional fittings. But if there is still a need for an additional margin of safety, then fiberglass or steel are used to reinforce polymer concrete. Other elements, such as carbon fiber, for example, are used much less frequently.
The technical capabilities of polymer concrete make it convenient and inexpensive material for the manufacture of construction materials decorative elements. To obtain different colors in ready-made solutions dyes are added, and to give required sizes poured into specially prepared forms. The resulting polymer concrete products are very similar in color and texture to marble, but the cost of such structures is much lower.
