Common questions

What is hydrophobic foam?

What is hydrophobic foam?

Polyurethane foams used in concrete repair to prevent water penetration through concrete cracks are said to be either hydrophobic or hydrophilic in behavior. A hydrophobic system will absorb and mix with only as much water as is needed to complete the foaming and curing of the two components.

What is hydrophilic resin?

Hydrophilic (hydro meaning ‘water’, philic meaning ‘has an affinity for’) resins seek out water in a crack. They chase the water and absorb into the tight micro-cracks and pores of the concrete. Hydrophobic (hydro – water, phobic – fearing) resins repel water in a crack.

Is Pu hydrophilic?

Additionally, polyurethane surfaces have been made hydrophilic to reduce bacterial adhesion with hydroxyethyl methacrylate or with hydromer coating technology.

What is polyurethane grout?

Polyurethane grouting involves the injection of expanding polyurethane to fill and seal cracks and voids and relevel slabs.

What is hydrophobic grout?

Simply translated as a “water fearing” material, hydrophobic grouts have little to no affinity for water. These grouts need very little, if any, water to react and cure. Once cured, hydrophobic grouts resemble a rigid foam, containing an open cell structure (see photo).

How do you use hydrophobic foam?

Apply Ultimate Hydrophobic Foam to a cool surface in a shaded area. Do not apply to a hot car. Always apply to a wet surface to ensure the product can create even coverage and not dry upon contact. Foam Lance: Ultimate Hydrophobic Foam should be diluted with a ratio of 1:15 to 1:20.

Is epoxy hydrophilic or hydrophobic?

Epoxy polymers are generally hydrophilic due to the presence of polar epoxy groups. Hydrophilic or hydrophobic polymers are either copolymerized or blended with epoxy polymers to change the hydrophobic/hydrophilic balance (Liu et al.

Is polyurethane hydrophobic or hydrophilic?

Hydrophobic polyurethanes naturally repel water (similar to the way oil would repel water and stay separate if you were trying to mix them in a glass). These products push water out of the area in question as they expand. Hydrophobics are used with catalysts which allow you to adjust the set time.

What is injection grouting?

Injection grouting is a process of filling the cracks, open joints, voids, or honeycombs, in concrete or masonry structural members, under pressure with a material that cures in place to produce the desired results like strengthening a structure and prevent water movement.

Why do hydrophobic molecules repel water?

Molecules that repel water because they are nonpolar molecules are described with the adjective hydrophobic. Hydrophobic molecules such as alkanes, oils, fats, and greases do not dissolve in water. This characteristic is called hydrophobicity.

Is epoxy polar?

The excellent adhesive properties of epoxy resins are due to the attractive forces between the epoxy resin and the surface of the substrate. These forces are usually polar forces or direct bonds that can form between reactive sites in the resin and reactive or polar sites on the surface of the substrate.

What’s the difference between hydrophilic and hydrophobic grouts?

Choosing the right material and installing it correctly are critical to the long-term success. Chemical grouts fall into two classes: hydrophilic grouts that have an affinity for water and seek it out and hydrophobic grouts that repel water and tend to resist moving toward wet areas.

What kind of grout is mixed with water?

The grout was mixed with water at a 1:1 ratio and cured into a soft foam. Later, Japan-based Takanaka introduced the Takanaka Aqua-Reactive Chemical Soil Stabilizer (TACSS), a grout that was mixed with an accelerator and, upon contact with water, cured into a rigid foam. This type of grout was labeled hydrophobic.

Who is the hydrophobic manufacturer of polyurethane grouts?

According to William Jacques, president of Strata-Tech Inc., a Des Moines, Iowa, manufacturer of polyurethane grouts, the terms hydrophilic and hydrophobic evolved more as marketing terms than technical definitions.

Can a hydrophobic Grout seal a concrete crack?

A hydrophobic grout will not bond tightly with concrete. This is an example of a crack injected with a hydrophobic material (not a Prime Resins product). You can see that the cured hydrophobic material easily peels off; this material did not seal the leak. Later injection with Prime Flex 900 XLV sealed the crack.

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