Silane is an excellent penetrating impregnating coating that endows the microstructure of concrete surfaces with long-term hydrophobicity and maintains breathability, significantly reducing the intrusion of water and harmful chloride ions, ensuring that concrete structures are protected from corrosion and improving concrete durability.
Silane has a small molecular structure, which deeply penetrates the capillary walls of concrete and reacts with hydrated cement to form a polydimethylsiloxane interpenetrating network structure. Through strong chemical bonding reactions, it endows the microstructure of the concrete surface with long-term hydrophobicity and maintains its breathable function. The substrate treated with silane waterproofing forms a surface tension much lower than that of water, and produces capillary reverse pressure phenomenon, without blocking the capillary pores, which is both waterproof and maintains the "breathing" of the concrete structure.
So what are the characteristics of carbosilane impregnated coatings?
Firstly, the carbosilane coating endows concrete with hydrophobicity. The waterproof effect of silane does not rely on a closed coating structure, but rather endows the concrete microstructure with long-term hydrophobicity, which can be referred to as the lotus leaf waterproof phenomenon.
Secondly, the carbosilane impregnated coating has strong penetration ability. The small molecular structure of silane can penetrate into concrete to a depth of 3-10mm, avoiding protection failure caused by surface concrete wear. After applying CB-420 silane impregnating agent on the surface of ordinary concrete, after 7 days of curing, the impregnation depth of silane impregnating agent was tested according to the standard JTJ275-2000. A core sample was randomly drilled and split along the axis, and a water-soluble dye (red part) was applied to the cross-section. The measured depth of silane impregnation was 10.46mm.
Furthermore, the carbosilane impregnated coating maintains the "breathing" function of concrete. The silane protective coating maintains the breathability of concrete, allowing moisture to be freely released.
Finally, carbosilane impregnated coatings can block chloride ions. Carbosilane impregnated coatings can block and reduce chloride ions by over 95%. The Transport Research Laboratory in the UK conducted experiments on the corrosion of reinforced concrete in 1987 and 1990, and found that although most protective materials can prevent chloride ion penetration, only silane can significantly reduce the corrosion current.
We know that concrete structures prevent water from entering, and the diseases of concrete structures, including steel corrosion, alkali aggregate reaction, and freeze-thaw cycle damage, will not occur at all. And silane isolates water and concrete in the simplest, most effective, and most economical way, making it of unparalleled construction value compared to other waterproof materials.