Overview of Foam Concrete

CLC brick making process

In traditional foam concrete production, the cement foaming agent is dissolved. The foam generator is used to mix the foam produced by it into the slurry composed of cementitious materials and admixtures used in concrete. The foam concrete with micropores is obtained after mixing, casting, molding, and curing.

Characteristics of foam concrete

Foam concrete density is about 500-1200 kg/m3; thermal conductivity is generally 0.12-0.30 W/(m·k).The compressive strength is generally 3-14 MPa, and it is often used as an insulation layer for roofs, self-supporting walls, and thermal pipes. The current ultra-light foam concrete has a very low density and thermal conductivity, and its thermal performance is very excellent, such as a density of 80 kg/m3.The thermal conductivity of foamed concrete is 0.040 W/(m·k); the thermal conductivity of foamed concrete with a density of 100 kg/m3 is 0.043 W/(m·k); the thermal conductivity of foamed concrete with a thickness of 120 kg/m3 is It is 0.047 W/(m·k). At present, in the world, if the material has a low thermal conductivity, it can be called an insulation material. The thermal conductivity of high-efficiency insulation materials must be lower than 0.05 W/(m·k). Ultra-light foam concrete has been used as a high-efficiency thermal insulation material, its performance is entirely comparable to organic thermal insulation materials such as polyurethane and polystyrene, and because of its high flame retardant coefficient, long service life.

Toxic gas has now become a popularized product of building insulation materials and has begun to gradually replace organic insulation materials on the market, becoming the new favorite of the building insulation industry.

Another definition of foam concrete is: use cement, admixtures, etc. as the primary cementing material, add water and foam concrete admixture to prepare a slurry, and then foam through the cement foaming agent, cast, shape, and cure to make A large number of small, independent, lightweight foam concrete with uniformly distributed bubbles.

 

Foam concrete specification

(1) Classification according to the difference in density

 Thermal insulation foam concrete: foam concrete mainly used for thermal insulation. Usually, it is foamed concrete with a bulk density of 400 kg/m3 or less. The ultra-light foam concrete made in recent years has the characteristics of efficient heat preservation.

 Load-bearing foam concrete: Used as a load-bearing material, and also has a certain energy-saving and thermal insulation effect. Usually, it is bulk density.

Foamed concrete above 700 g/m3.

 Load-bearing and heat-preserving foam concrete: Used as a self-supporting foam concrete. Usually, it is foamed concrete with a bulk density of 500-600 kg/m3.

 

(2) Classification according to different foaming methods

 Physical cement foaming agent: Foaming agent for concrete: a foaming agent for concrete, which is based on surfactants, is foamed through a foam generator and mixed with a mixed slurry. The density of the foam concrete is adjusted by changing the number of bubbles. The foam concrete prepared by this method has good construction performance but is too dependent on the foaming machine.

 Chemical foaming agent foam concrete: Use hydrogen peroxide or aluminum powder to release gas through a chemical reaction to make foam concrete. The temperature of the concrete and the consistency of the slurry will affect the foaming time and the foaming amount, which can be called post-foaming.

 Concrete foamed after mixing: use surfactants, protein-based animal and plant foaming agents, etc. to be incorporated in the mixer,

Stirring with the slurry, this is a method of making bubbles by starting. Its mixing time, mixing speed, concentration.

The change of the material particle size and other factors can adjust the air content, and the workability can be achieved only by stirring.

 

(3) According to different types of aggregates

 Polystyrene particle foamed concrete uses polystyrene particles as aggregate, mix it with foam concrete slurry, mix and pour.

Foam concrete is made by injection.

 Expanded perlite foamed concrete: foamed concrete made by using expanded perlite as aggregate. Besides, there are lightweight aggregate foam concrete prepared with polyurethane particles, phenolic resin particles, vitrified microbead particles, and vermiculite.

 

(4) According to the different classification of the production process

 Factory prefabricated foam concrete: refers to the foam concrete prefabricated in specialized chemical factories, such as foam concrete insulation board,

CLC blocks and foam concrete wall panels, etc.

On-site pouring of foamed concrete: such as ground thermal insulation layer, floor heating thermal insulation layer, wall surface pouring and large-volume filling.

Cie-China.org is the leading foam concrete additives provider providing concrete foaming agent, superplasticizer,foam concrete strength enhancer for lightweight concrete, CLC blocks. If you are looking for foaming agent, please feel free to contact us.