Polymer concrete uses thermosetting resins as a partial or complete replacement for cement, resulting in improved thermal stability, mechanical strength, and resistance to chemical attack and water infiltration. However, the aggregates used must be of high quality to ensure proper bonding. Polymer-impregnated concrete can also be produced by treating cured concrete with resins. The use of polymers should be approached with caution due to their toxicity, flammability, and volatility.
Polymer concrete is a type of concrete that features a polymer binding compound as a partial or complete replacement for conventional cement. The polymers used in polymer concrete are typically thermosetting resins added during mixing or applied by various methods to the surface of the cured concrete. The aggregate component of these concrete mixes must also be of high quality without residual dust, moisture or contaminants that can adversely affect the aggregate/polymer bond. The advantages of polymer concrete include a high degree of thermal stability and mechanical strength, as well as improved resistance to chemical attack and water infiltration. Product disadvantages include toxicity, flammability and volatility of polymers and catalysts.
Conventional concrete mixes are a combination of a cement binder, fine and coarse aggregates, and various other chemical additives when required. When water is included in the mix, the cementitious component undergoes a process known as hydration which causes it to bond with the aggregates forming a hard and robust material. The cement binders in conventional concrete mixes are typically Portland cement or fly ash. Fine aggregates in standard mixes are usually various types of sand, coarse aggregates are gravel or crushed granite and limestone. Chemical additives common to general concrete mixes include plasticizing agents, pigments, corrosion inhibitors, and process accelerators or retarders.
The mixes that produce polymer concrete are similar to conventional types with the exception of the use of thermosetting resins as complementary or substitute components of the cement or fly ash. The aggregates in these polymer concretes must also be of a higher quality than those used in conventional mixes as any traces of dust, moisture or other contaminants can prevent the polymer and aggregates from bonding. The use of the polymer as a binder in polymer concrete gives the cured product a number of unique beneficial characteristics. These include improved structural strength, improved resistance to water penetration, good chemical resistance and excellent thermal stability.
Polymers can also be used to treat cured concrete into a product known as polymer-impregnated concrete. In this process, concrete surfaces are exposed to vacuum pressure or ultrasonic vibration impregnation with resins such as methyl methacrylate (MMA). After the resins have penetrated the concrete surface, the curing process is completed by thermal or microwave exposure. This method produces concrete that exhibits similar improvements in durability and strength as the premixed versions. Although highly beneficial, the use of polymers in the production of concrete products should be approached with caution because polymers and catalysts can be combustible, volatile and toxic.
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