New product system for surface functionalization and pressureless borehole injection

BPA GmbH has been manufacturing and dealing with high-quality product systems for building water- proofing for many years. Joint and surface sealing systems in particular for different areas of application and load classes are the focus of the family- owned company. Innovations and new solutions for customer and market requirements are a driving force behind product developments at BPA. In addition to innovations, the company also focuses on continuous optimization of the product portfolio and quality, with particular attention to aspects of sustainability and environmental protection.

In the construction industry, new building materials are always being used, new building material combinations and new manufacturing processes are used which are intended to increase the quality of the structure. At the same time, the building owner’s demands on the use, durability and safety of the structures are increasing, so that the costs for construction measures are rising continuously. In addition, there are new specifications or regulations from authorities, which make the entire planning and implementation of a new building more complicated. If a conversion or renovation of an existing building is planned and implemented, other aspects from the area of monument preservation can turn the building measure into a highly scientific project.

Simple and practical solutions for many areas of application are therefore a good starting point for innovative products and applications. With CEMsil SC-I (Fig. 1), BPA GmbH is launching a new WTA e.V. certified product in different container types and sizes that can be used as an impregnating agent for preventive surface protection of mineral building materials against moisture and wetness or as an injection agent for depressurization Borehole injection against uprising damp.

It is a cream-like agent based on coordinated alkylalkoxysilanes and siloxanes. The creamy consistency means that the contact time between the product and the material to be protected is sufficient to allow the necessary chemical reactions to take place, which enables permanent polysiloxane formation for surface protection. This is also the main advantage compared to comparable, low-viscosity systems.

By-products that occur at the same time during the reaction help to bring the active substances deeper into the material structure or the pore structure and, in doing so, demonstrably displace any pore water that may be present. As a result, the functionalization effect is not only limited to the surface, but is also effective up to a depth of 30 mm, depending on the pore structure and size.

Figs. 2 and 3 show an autoclaved aerated concrete block with CEMsil SC-I (left side) and without functionalization (right side). You can clearly see how the water droplets stand on the functionalized surface, which we really repel and how the untreated side of the autoclaved aerated concrete soaks up the water. The in-depth effect of the hydrophobization ensures at the same time that the effect persists over a longer period of time and that its effect is not lost due to dust, ozone or nitrogen oxides being deposited, as is the case with purely superficial systems.

With CEMsil SC-I, due to its creamy consistency and depth effect, a horizontal barrier against rising damp can be demonstrably and safely built up. For this purpose, 12 mm drill holes are made at regular (12 cm) intervals and filled with the functionalizing cream. The material absorbs the active ingredients and forms a uniform barrier layer through reactive transport in the borehole environment.

The development of the new product system has now been completed and the market launch has begun. High-quality new buildings, infrastructure structures, exposed concrete and the renovation of mineral building materials are being approached as target markets.