Essentially, concrete comprises a blend of cement, water and aggregates which serves as the primary material in construction. Among all other materials, concrete is the most extensively utilized product.
In the process of mixing together the cement, water as well as aggregates a viscous paste is produced that envelops particles of sand and stone particles. The mixing of materials leads to the hardening of concrete.
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The cement hydrate becomes stronger and denser when it absorbs the surrounding water. When the concrete fully hardens a solid mass is being created which is able to bear the heavy loads.
The concrete curing process takes place by holding moisture in the slab for a longer duration. When the curing of the concrete is done in a proper way it becomes stronger and more durable, thus giving a longer life span to the structure.
Concrete Curing Compounds are the materials that help in retaining the moisture in the concrete which otherwise may get evaporated due to dry climate or heat. Concrete that is not properly cured or excessively cured can get affected due to lower strength, low density, or cracks that may be caused to the structure.
Concrete curing is very much essential so that the moisture levels in the concrete can remain intact when it hydrates in water and the concrete should be cured properly.
What is Concrete Curing?
The concrete is a porous material, curing leads to avoiding loss of moisture in the concrete due to evaporation. The prevention of moisture loss helps in hydration of cement to finish properly before the surface becomes dry.
How Can Concrete be Cured?
The Curing Involves Three Different Types:
- Water Curing: Water curing is the process when the water is being used over the structure to help it retain moisture when it cures.
- Membrane Curing: Membrane curing is the process in which a layer of coating is applied to the fresh concrete like evaporation retarder or a sealing compound so that loss of moisture can be prevented in the concrete.
- Air/Steam Curing: Air or else steam curing is being done when the slab is being moistened by heating with moist hot air due to which the concrete curing process becomes faster while keeping the moisture on concrete surface.
What are Concrete Curing Compounds?
Concrete curing compounds are categorized as membrane curing. These materials usually contain polymers that form a protective membrane or film on the concrete surface when applied.
The membrane helps in retaining water and moisture on the surface till it reaches adequate strength and durability potential. The curing compounds may contain pigments for aesthetic purposes, and also antimicrobial agents for additional protection against the contamination or else microbial growth on the freshly installed concrete.
The reason for doing concrete curing is to reduce the moisture loss in the concrete. This process allows time for the cement particles to hydrate and provide the required strength and durability.
Concrete curing compound is basically a synthetic material being used for retaining the moisture in the concrete and prevent it from getting dried up. The curing compound forms a layer over the concrete which helps in avoiding evaporation of water content in the concrete.
The curing compound has got many advantages against the traditional methods like it helps in saving cost and less labor is required.
Type of Curing Compounds Which are Available in the Market:
This material can be manufactured using different bases to get different outcomes. Some of the curing compounds may have higher levels of water retention than any other materials.
Curing agents show varying efficacies in retaining water and they vary in their compatibility to coverings or materials that are applied later. The various materials of concrete curing compounds are as follows:
PVA Base:
This type of base provides adequate moisture to the concrete but does not reach 90% water retention.
Acrylic Base:
The Acrylic base is a material that retains 90% water retention.
Resin Base:
It is a mixture of synthetic oil and hydrocarbon resins which will seal the concrete by forming a membrane that has the advantage of a short time for film formation.
Wax Base:
Wax base compound is just similar to resin compounds, its properties are almost same. This membrane is suitable for large areas like airport runways or bridges.
Bitumen Base:
Curing mixes of bitumen concrete are made from a blend of hydrocarbons with bitumen resins that not only cure concrete, but also function as a primer coat for asphaltic materials and overlays containing bitumen. This is most suitable for bridge decks as well as the construction of roads.
Chlorinated Rubber:
Chlorinated rubber compound, as said, is a kind of compound used in curing that forms a thick base on the surface of concrete. This compound seals the concrete in a very tight manner and also fills up the minor pores of the concrete. Thus, the rubber material compound is amongst the most effective compounds used for sealing concrete.
The Sakshi Chem Sciences Pvt Ltd is amongst the leading manufacturers of curing compounds. There are ADDAGE BONDCOTE CC (wax based) curing compounds, ADDAGE BONDCOTE CCARB a water based and ADDAGE BONDCOTE CCARB (solvent based) materials available. The products are highly effective and help in forming a layer over the concrete to avoid moisture loss in the concrete.
The chemicals are available in liquid form packed in the drums and are amongst the products which are ideal for use on construction sites for building and infrastructure projects. The materials also help in avoiding cracks over the concrete and prevents shrinkage in the concrete.
Conclusion:
Thus, concrete curing compounds can be considered amongst the essential use to the construction industry. The curing compounds can effectively increase the moisture retention capacity of the water. The curing compound can effectively help in avoiding the shrinkage in the concrete and also avoid cracks from getting developed in the concrete.
If the concrete loses the water content quickly then in that case it does not generate adequate strength and thus cracks or leakages can be formed in the concrete. Thus, the strength of the concrete may get reduced due to moisture loss.