Vinex - Air-entrainment agent for cement

Vinex Resin Series is derived from natural resins from pine trees. The refining of our aged pine tree resins through our distillation processes produce a residue that provides an excellent start material in the production of both bitumen emulsifiers and air-entrainment agents. The resins are further saponified with alkalis such as sodium hydroxide to produce Vinex soaps. Our  high heat dry saponification process produce free-flowing dry soaps without damaging delicate chemical structures.

 

 

 

Benefits for Vinex Resin

 

 

• Higher resistance to crack caused by freeze-thawing cycles
• Increased durability
• Reduced permeability
• Increased plasticity in admixtures
• Reduced bleeding
• Good chemical resistance to sulphates

 

Applications:

 

Air entraining agent in cements, mortars, and concrete to improve strength, workability, and freeze-thaw resistance

 

PROBLEM

 

 

Most hardened concrete structure appear solid however they are highly porous. They have small capillaries as a result of water evaporation that is beyond what was required for the hydration reaction during their initial mixing. Generally water to cement ratio is approximately 0.42 I.e. 42 parts of water for every 100 parts cement, this allows for a complete hydration of cement particles without any excess. However, most concrete used has a ratio of 0.45 up to 0.60, meaning there is excess water that is used to allow workability.

Eventually, the excess water in the voids evaporates leaving little pores in its place.

 

Environmental water from rain, cleaning, etc fills the voids. During freeze-thaw cycles, this water occupying these voids expands and create stresses which lead to cracking. When the crack starts to develop, it allows more water into the concrete and the cracks get larger. Eventually the cracks starts to break off as chunks.

 

Generally the failure of reinforced concrete structures often occurs during the freeze-thaw cycles. As the moisture starts to reach the reinforced steel, the steel expands when it starts to rust, this further promotes more cracks and letting more water in. Eventually, the structure becomes too weak to hold due to loss of integrity.

 

SOLUTION USING AIR-ENTRAINMENT AGENTS

 

Most of air-entrainment agents provide water reducing properties. Air entrainment agents as a soap are intentional  added to create tiny air bubbles in concrete. As a hardness resistant surfactant, a concrete maker introduces the bubbles when added to the mix.  The air bubbles are created during mixing of the plastic (easy flowing, not hardened) concrete, and most of them survive to be part of the hardened concrete. The primary purpose of air entrainment is to increase the durability of the hardened concrete, especially in climates subject to freeze-thaw; the secondary purpose is to increase workability of the concrete while in a plastic state I.e. Reducing a water to cement ratio closer to its theoretical ratio, limiting the use of excess water during construction.

 

 

Concrete Admixture Applications