The need for dry mortar, from the simplest application to special products with special requirements, is covered by approx. 650 dry mortar factories in Europe. Constantly new requirements according to European standards or special regional conditions are also a major challenge for us as a supplier of process chemicals. Environment and health, occupational safety, fire protection, etc. are the most important factors in the development of new products in addition to technical requirements. In addition, the aspiration for sustainability in both in the product as well as used in raw materials. We at Sika live these principles and work on continuous improvement. When developing and manufacturing our additives, we also ensure that raw materials are as sustainable as possible and that the supply of raw materials is reliable
without losing sight of profitability.
Our competence
Based on our almost 50 years of experience with concrete admixtures and our concrete technological experience, we started building a range of additives for the dry mortar industry over 10 years ago. From many Sika products, we have clearly arranged the product groups relevant for the dry mortar industry. From adjustment consistency and saving water, to setting control, adjusting mortar densities and improving processing to ensuring durability.
Sika offers many formulation components from one hand. Our product engineers and technical application service always have the latest market requirements in focus. With our application technology laboratory in Leimen / Germany, we support our customers in adapting their recipes.
High Performance Superplasticizer
Sika® ViscoCrete® – high-performance superplasticizers are based on PCE (polycarboxylate ether) technology. The production takes place in compliance with strict industrial standards and ensures a continuously high product quality. By knowing the effect of different polymer designs, Sika® is able to offer tailor-made solutions for a variety of
applications with different binders.
Sika® ViscoCrete® superplasticizers have a double-action dispersion effect:
1. By saturation of electrostatic charges on the particle surface
2. By steric repulsion of the PCE molecules.
In addition to our currently seven basic types, we developed our application-related Sika® PowerPacks, for example to offer an alternative to the still widely used melamine types. We differentiate our Sika® ViscoCrete® powder in three basic types according to the main properties for water reduction, consistency maintenance and consistency control.
The most important advantages at a glance:
Strong liquefying effect even at very low dosages
High water reduction possible
For binder systems based on cement, calcium sulfate and ternary systems
Extremely high strength achievable (UHPC)
Short mixing times even at low temperatures
Enables very low-emission formulations
Good compatibility and synergies with other additives
Consistent quality
Available worldwide
Accelerator
In the case of accelerators, a distinction is made between setting accelerators and hardening accelerators. Sigunit® types are classic setting accelerators for shotcrete and can also be used for the formulation of 3-D printing mortars. Hardening accelerators work within a few minutes after adding water. SikaRapid® is the brand for our hardening accelerators which lead to higher early strengths after 2 to 12 hours. The water binder values are set in combination with Sika® ViscoCrete®.
Retarder
The use of retarders is always necessary if the processing time for the mortar is insufficient or if a certain setting behavior is required to carry out individual operations. An example of this would be classic gypsum plaster. Our Retardan® types are perfectly suited to precisely control the start and end of stiffening of beta hemihydrate gypsum plasters. Compared to fruit acids, we achieve higher strengths with Retardan®.
SikaTard® is the general brand name for retarders from Sika which can be used in both cement-based and ternary systems. A recipe optimization can very often take place in conjunction with our special Sika® ViscoCrete® types.
Air Entrainer
Powdered air entraining agents essentially have two main functions:
Increase of the frost-thawing salt resistance
Improvement of processing through plasticization and stabilization
The aim is to create the smallest (<0.3 mm) and evenly distributed air pores and keep them stable for as long as possible. Sika offers two basic variants of the mode of action:
Physically effective via mixing time and mixing energy
Chemically effective regardless of mixing time and mixing energy
Stabilizers
In particular, flowable dry mortars, which are mixed and pumped by machine, tend to separate heavy aggregates or bleeding on the surface if they are overwatered. In addition to optimizing the grading curve, sand and aggregate quality play a very important role. By using special stabilizers, more robust dry mortars can be formulated. Side effects can also e.g. Water retention for internal aftertreatment and better pumpability.
Fibers
Sika Fibercast®-500 is a fibrillated polyolefin fiber with a diameter of 0.14 mm and 6 mm in length and is a special form of synthetic, alkali-insensitive micro-reinforcement.
It causes increased cohesion and stability in the fresh mortar. In cured mortar, Fibercast®-500 provides increased impact and shock resistance and reduces plastic shrinkage cracks. Due to its good dispersion even in dry mixtures, Fibercast®-500 is particularly suitable for use in dry mortars and dry concrete.
The most important advantages at a glance:
Simple handling, easy processing
Improvement of the cohesion in the fresh concrete
No corrosion
High tensile strength
Increased resistance to impact, shock and wear and tear
Swelling Agent and Injection Aids
Swelling agents and injection aids are special, powdery additives that counteract the early shrink of mostly free-flowing or soft mortars while still in their plastic state through a targeted increase in volume. Depending on the dosage, expansion values of several volume-% can be achieved. This allows the mortar to clamp itself in a cavity. Application examples are grouting mortar and concrete, installation mortar, filling and grouting mortar, joint mortar, annular gap mortar and masonry mortar. The swelling pressure results in a full adaptation to the contact surfaces.