Oct 01, 2019 Read time: approx. MinutesMinute
New competence center for cement and concrete applications opens in Shanghai
Silicone additives are to provide even more effective protection against environmental influences
WACKER has opened a new competence center for cement and concrete applications in Shanghai. The laboratory will develop silicone products that will improve the properties and durability of cement and concrete in the long term. Its specific focus is on performance-enhancing silicone additives.
According to current market studies, China is the world’s largest producer and consumer of cement and concrete. But the country faces a number of challenges due to the high energy consumption of cement manufacturing and rising demand for sustainable products, carbon dioxide reduction and more durable, corrosion-resistant cement and concrete construction materials.
“The new competence center in Shanghai will give our customers the support they need to cope with these challenges and to seize the opportunities which have opened up,” says Paul Lindblad, president of WACKER Greater China. “As a regional innovation platform for cement and concrete applications, our lab will cooperate with the country’s leading universities, research institutions and industrial customers. The goal is to develop innovative products and solutions that contribute toward the sustainable growth of the Chinese construction materials industry.”
The WACKER Group’s new competence center for cement and concrete in Shanghai. Its focus is on novel silicone-based products and solutions which improve the durability and sustainability of cement and concrete.
The new competence center will focus on investigating how silicone products can protect cement and concrete against environmental influences more efficiently for longer periods of time. Waterproofing technologies are currently trending in science and industry.
Silicones are known for their ability to provide protection against alkali-silica reactions, efflorescence, graffiti and corrosion. Yet surface treatment also has its limitations. “One of our lab’s goals is to develop silicone-based products that not only offer excellent dampproofing and increase the durability of cement, but also address other unresolved problems,” says Dr. Peter Jerschow, head of Product Development for the Construction Silicones business unit in the WACKER SILICONES division.
“Silicones can be used to manufacture cement. With a new silicone additive developed by our competence center in India, customers have been able to produce several thousand metric tonnes of cement,” adds Jerschow. “Shanghai is the first WACKER competence center to deal exclusively with silicone-based cement and concrete admixtures. It will leverage the Group’s worldwide resources and make a valuable contribution toward sustainable development of China’s cement and concrete industry.”