WACKER Opens Cement and Concrete Additives Laboratory in Moscow
With the launch of a new laboratory in Moscow, WACKER is increasing its technical support for the building industry. The focus here is on water-repellent silicone additives for cement and concrete, which provide protection against moisture, salts, and undesired chemical reactions when applied to cementitious materials. The development lab, which serves customers all around the world, is now officially operational.
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Mechanical pressure tests are among the services that the new laboratory in Moscow offers for water-repellent treatment of cement and concrete. These analyses provide insight into the strength of concrete formulations. (Photo: WACKER)[/caption]
The Moscow laboratory is part of WACKER's new Cement and Concrete Innovation Hub. The facility's goal is to better preserve cement and concrete components from moisture while they're in storage and after they've been applied. Moisture protection has traditionally been achieved by applying water-repellent silicones to the surface after the concrete, mortar, or plaster has hardened. WACKER has now created silicone additives that may be mixed into cement or concrete during the manufacturing process, effectively preserving construction materials from moisture damage.
The Moscow laboratory will play a key role in the development of integral treatment additives for cement and concrete. “There are many factors that influence the properties of cementitious systems. Every manufacturer uses different raw materials and formulations,” explains Thomas Koini, who leads the Performance Silicones business unit. “Our new lab in Moscow will give us our first ever opportunity for systematically studying and testing a wide range of raw materials used in cement and concrete. That puts us in a position to optimize our building protection agents for use in our customers’ formulations and for compliance with international construction standards. Few raw materials manufacturers currently offer that kind of comprehensive service.”
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The Moscow cement and concrete laboratory performs ultrasound and temperature measurements that give customers important information on the quality and proper-ties of new concrete formulations. (Photo: WACKER)[/caption]
Comprehensive Testing
For the new service, a vast range of test equipment and laboratory tools are accessible. Other expert teams' labs at the location can also be used for research.“The Moscow Technical Center has a long history,” says Alexander Serov, the head of WACKER’s subsidiary Wacker Chemie RUS. “The first technical laboratory in Moscow opened its doors in 2003. Both WACKER SILICONES and WACKER POLYMERS now operate multiple labs in Moscow for construction chemical products. The new facility can access this infrastructure as well, of course. That will allow us to conduct comprehensive testing on our customers’ formulations in compliance with all of today’s construction standards without having to make extra investments.”
In addition, the laboratory wants to work with local universities and testing facilities. The first projects are already in the works. Hydrophobic silicones have been shown to significantly reduce moisture damage to concrete caused by salt penetration or chemical processes such as the alkali-silica reaction, according to research conducted at the Lomonosov M.V. Moscow State University and previous investigations at the Gvozdev A.A. Research Institute of Concrete and Reinforced Concrete.
“Prestigious building institutes and important players within the cement industry have their headquarters in Moscow. That’s a huge advantage for us in our work,” says Peter Jerschow, who heads up WACKER’s Innovation Hub for Cement and Concrete. As Jerschow goes on to say, expertise and regular exchanges with scientific institutes do more than just foster new product development. “They help us better understand fundamental aspects of construction chemistry too. And that, in turn, is a key factor in helping us develop innovative solutions for our customers’ growing quality standards.”
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