How to make a foaming agent for foam concrete with your own hands

Foam concrete as a material for construction provides good thermal insulation properties to residential buildings and facilities of economic importance. The presence of a multitude of small air chambers isolated from each other makes the walls of this material light. Such premises have good sound insulation and high fire safety. To a mixture of sand and cement has acquired such properties, it is necessary to add a foaming agent to the foam concrete.

The solution is obtained by air, the amount of the mixture increases without weight gain. The share of air can be reduced to 80% of its total volume.

Foam concrete: composition

The main components are: portland cement M400 or M500, sand, water and foaming agent for foam concrete. In some cases, the addition of expanded clay is possible as a lightweight aggregate. Concrete mixture can have different density depending on the ratio of components (cement / sand: 1 / 1-1 / 3), it can be from 600 to 1600 kg / m³. For lighter foam concrete, sand is not used.

Water is used for drinking, and sand without foreign impurities. To obtain a material of a given density, the water-cement ratio of the solution must be at least 0.38. A decrease in this value will cause the reaction cement to take part of the water out of the foam.

The quantity of air bubbles depends on the quality of the foaming agent and the observance of the technology of its application. This affects the density and strength of the finished material. Correctly prepared white foam is easily held in the bucket if it is turned upside down.

Technology

To be sure of the quality of the foam concrete, you should pay attention to the uniform distribution of cement in the mixture. To achieve this, it is best to mix it with dry sand to a uniform color and only then dilute with water.

Recently, in addition to the classical scheme, when foam is added to the finished concrete solution and mixed at low speeds, porizatsionnuyu and barotechnology began to be applied. Their difference lies in the ways of involving air in the process of formation of the finished mixture.

Porosity is the use of a high-speed mixer of a small volume. Foaming agent for foam concrete is added during the mixing process. Air into the mixture is attracted by forces of turbulence. Barotechnology - the use of a sealed chamber and pressure for short-term mixing of components. You can add a foaming agent to water or a ready-made foam in the required volume.

Frothers: application features

Builders in the XIX century to create a cellular structure of concrete mixed in the solution of bovine blood. At the beginning of the 20th century, the soap root was used for this purpose . Now you can buy a ready-made foaming agent for foam concrete. Its price will depend on the manufacturer, the country of the manufacturer and the type of the active component. Domestic concentrate can be bought from 70 ("Neoplast-5") to 100 rubles per kilogram ("PB-Lux"). Foreign protein compounds will cost an average of 1.5 times more expensive. For example, GreenFroth in a package of 230 kg (metal barrel) costs 125 rubles, and the cost of a canister (10 liters) is 185 rubles per kilogram.

Such formulations are usually issued as ready-to-use commercial products. According to the recipe, they need only be diluted with water. Then the solution is fed to the foam generator, where it passes through a special filler. Under the action of the air flow under pressure, a stable foam is formed, consisting of a large number of small bubbles.

Another option for using a blowing agent is to add the concentrate directly to the water when mixing at high speed. Under the influence of turbulence, a foam is formed. Then cement and sand are added to this mixture with constant stirring. The quality of such foam concrete is somewhat lower than that prepared according to the classical scheme.

Synthetic and protein foaming agent for foam concrete

In the technological scheme, organic and synthetic components are used. Protein or protein foaming agents are made by hydrolysis from raw materials of animal origin on the basis of blood. Also used for these purposes are plant-based wood tar after its saponification.

A natural foaming agent for foam concrete is considered the most suitable option for the manufacture of material used in the construction of residential buildings. This is primarily environmental and health standards. The other side of the question is the "neutrality" of the reaction of the finished product.

Synthetic blowing agents are cheaper. The downside of their use is the inability to produce foam concrete with a low density (less than 300 kg / m³). In addition, the strength of the finished wall blocks is inferior to those made on the basis of protein foam.

Foaming agent with own hands for foam concrete

A ready concentrate for the production of cellular concrete is usually sold in large batches. It is not always possible to purchase it in the required quantity. For private construction it is possible to prepare a foaming agent for foam concrete at home. To do this, you need pine rosin, carpenter's bone glue, caustic soda (caustic soda).

Kleikanifolny concentrate allows you to get up to 500 liters of foam from 1 kg. The porosity of the material is uniform. The weight of the foam is about 90 g / l. If the technology is observed, the bubbles are small - from 0.1 to 0.4 mm. Concentrate is prepared in about 2 hours. You can store it for 2-4 weeks. The operating temperature is from 5 to 30 ° C.

Technology of preparation

The work is carried out in two stages. First, the base is prepared - rosin soap. For a foam concentrate for the preparation of 1 m³ of cellular concrete, caustic soda (caustic soda) - 0.016 kg, and gum rosin - 0.06 kg will be required. Then, in the composition to increase the viscosity and stability, joiner's bone glue is introduced - 0.063 kg.

Soda is diluted with water to a density of 1.2 kg / dm³. This mixture is boiled and added to it gradually crushed (no more than 5 mm) rosin. For 1 liter of soda solution will require 1.5 kg of rosin. In a boiling water bath, the mixture is aged for 1.5 to 2 hours, stirring constantly until the components are completely dissolved.

Joiner's glue (tile) is prepared in advance. It is ground beforehand and poured in water for a day (1:10). Heating the composition to 60 ° C, stirring is achieved by completely dissolving the particles. After the components are ready, the cooled soap solution is poured into the glue in small portions and mixed. The ratio of glue and soap solutions is 6: 1.