Protective and Decorative Acrylic-Based Technologies for Concrete Curing and Sealing

Reach New Levels of PerformanceValued for its durability, structural capabilities and aesthetic possibilities, concrete is a popular material for a wide range of interior and exterior commercial, industrial, residential and infrastructure applications. But whether it is used on a patio or a parking deck, proper curing and sealing are essential steps to ensuring the longest life possible for functional and decorative concrete materials.

Dow Construction Chemicals has more than 30 years of experience in water-based chemistries, and we continue to lead the way in meeting exceedingly low volatile organic compound (VOC) regulations. We offer acrylic technology engineered to enhance performance of cure membrane, sealer, and cure and seal formulations – and we have application experts available to help you formulate the right products for your customers. Wherever your curing and sealing challenges take you … start here.

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Solutions from Concrete Curing to Extended Surface Protection When concrete is first placed, keeping moisture in is the goal. But once it has cured, the challenge is to keep moisture out – particularly when the concrete will be subjected to repeated freezing and thawing. Beyond helping to keep this moisture balance in check, concrete cure membranes, cure and seal formulations, and sealers can each play a role in developing and protecting the long-term integrity of concrete materials in many other ways.

Depending on the requirements of your application, our water-based and solvent-based technology platforms can be tailored to deliver strong performance in several areas, including:

• Excellent water retention to help promote optimal hydration

• Ultraviolet (UV) stability

• Stain resistance

• Long-term color enhancement

• Cost-effectiveness

• Adhesion

Cure Membranes for Efficient Hydration

Moist-curing is widely held to be the best method for concrete curing, but it is not always practical. However, liquid cure membranes from Dow offer an efficient and economical way to restrict moisture evaporation during the critical hydration process and promote proper curing when traditional techniques are not feasible.

Applied to freshly placed concrete (within two hours), cure membranes form a film to slow water evaporation, enabling more extensive hydration of Portland cement.

This increases the strength of the concrete and helps minimize shrinkage cracking. Most cure membranes are designed to wear off after 28 days when hydration is largely complete. A sealer may then be applied to provide more extensive protection to the concrete surface.

Dow’s acrylic technology is an essential ingredient to form cure membranes, helping to improve key concrete properties.

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Dow Solutions for Cure Membranes

Products Improved Membrane Performance

RHOPLEX™ CS-3800 styrene-acrylic copolymer• Hydrophobicity• Meets ASTM specifications at low solids

RHOPLEX CS-4000 acrylic polymer emulsion• Excellent UV resistance• Excellent exterior durability

We Can Help You Seal the DealSealers for Long-Term Protection and Beauty Sealers, applied to fully cured concrete (after 28 days), typically provide higher levels of protection and color enhancement to concrete surfaces over a longer period of time.

Acrylic-based sealers work via a film-forming process, during which they form a coating (1-10 mils thick) on top of the concrete surface to help prevent water penetration and efflorescence and provide good stain resistance (see Figure 1). This differs from penetrating sealers, such as silanes and siloxanes, which react chemically with the concrete to form their water repellency.

Cleaner, Sturdier, Better

Sealers based on acrylic polymer and resin technology from Dow Construction Chemicals fill in the gaps – literally. Besides improving the appearance of, and providing excellent stain resistance for, concrete applications, acrylic-based film-forming sealers greatly reduce water penetration, cracking and efflorescence when compared to unsealed concrete, as shown in Figure 2.

SealedUnsealed

Figure 2: Unsealed vs. Sealed Concrete

Figure 1: How Water- and Solvent-Based Sealers Work

SOLVENT-BASED SEALERWATER-BASED SEALER

concreteconcrete

polymer particlesdeform and fuse

together

water evaporationcontinues

concrete

polymer particles

water

water evaporation

concrete concrete

polymer chainsentangle

solvent evaporationcontinues

concrete

polymer chains

solvent

solvent evaporation

concrete

In water-based acrylic sealers, polymer particles are dispersed in water. During application, these particles move closer together as the water evaporates. As evaporation continues, the particles deform and fuse to eventually form a continuous coating.

With solvent-based sealers, the polymer chains and the solvent form a continuous solution. During application, the polymer chains are drawn together and entangle as the solvent continues to evaporate, creating a continuous coating.

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Marks of Distinction While water- and solvent-based sealers have some differentiating characteristics, once applied and cured, they function in a similar way. Both types of sealers have these key attributes in common:

• Toughness and durability – Providing resistance to stains, abrasion, water, chemicals and hot tire pickup (HTPU), water- and solvent-based acrylic sealers enable effective protection of concrete surfaces that can last for two to three years.

• Application ease – Both water- and solvent-based acrylic sealers are available in fully formulated, ready-to-apply one-pack variations. They can either be sprayed or rolled on and will easily adhere with little or no surface preparation. Acrylic-based sealers can be applied to new or old concrete, unlike their silane- and siloxane-based penetrating sealer counterparts that cannot be applied to new concrete.

• UV resistance – 100 percent acrylic sealers are fully transparent to UV light and will not undergo the photochemical breakdown experienced by more UV-absorbent polymers such as nonaliphatic polyurethanes and most epoxies. UV resistance enhances a sealer’s durability and protective qualities.

• Easy removal – If acrylic-based sealers need to be removed, it is relatively easy – unlike epoxies and urethane-based sealers, which often require harsh chemicals and/or sandblasting to remove them.

While acrylic-based sealers have a more glossy finish than other types, there are some subtle differences in the appearance of water- and solvent-based sealers (see Figures 3 and 4).

Beyond appearance, distinctions between water- and solvent-borne systems have become more subtle as advances in technology are making it possible to offer both types of systems with very similar environmental and performance benefits. Every application has different requirements, and our technical experts can help you find the solution that is right for your sealer application.

Figure 3: Water-Based Sealers Figure 4: Solvent-Based Sealers

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During application, water-based sealers appear milky white, and they typically cure to a lower-gloss, matte finish.

Solvent-based sealers generally have a more glossy finish that enhances the color of underlying concrete.

Performance AttributesPerformance attributes of both water- and solvent-based sealers are demonstrated in Figure 5.

Figure 5: Dow Construction Chemicals Concrete Sealer Recommendations

Water-Based Sealers Solvent-Based Sealers

RHOPLEX™ EI-6000 RHOPLEX™ CS-4000 RHOPLEX™ WL-91 PARALOID™ B-66 PARALOID™ B-67

Formulation to 100 g/l VOC +++ + 0 + -

Exterior Durability +++ ++ + ++ ++

Water Whitening Resistance ++ + + +++ +++

Hot Tire Pickup Resistance 0 + +++ +++ +++

Abrasion Resistance + ++ ++ +++ +++

Chemical Resistance + ++ +++ + +

Hydrophobicity + ++ ++ +++ +++

Adhesion 0 + +++ +++ +++

Food Stain Resistance 0 + ++ +++ +++

Good for Interior Use √ √ √ √ √

Good for Exterior Use √ √ √ √ √

For Use on Vertical Surfaces √ √ √ √ √

For Use on Horizontal Surfaces √ √ √ √ √

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+++ EXCELLENT

++ VERY GOOD

+ GOOD

0 AVERAGE

- POOR

√ ACCEPTABLE

Cure and Seal for Maximum Convenience

Cure and seal formulations, particularly popular for decorative concrete surfaces, are a quick and cost-effective way to achieve both effective curing and excellent short-term surface protection in a single step. Applied to fresh concrete, the cure and seal product acts initially as a cure membrane and then remains on the concrete surface, sealing and protecting it. Two core products from Dow combine the ability to retain water for curing purposes with long-term durability in sealer applications, delivering excellent performance in cure and seal formulations. In addition, both of these polymers are low-VOC capable.

Start Here with Dow Construction ChemicalsDow Construction Chemicals is the market leader and first choice for meaningful, innovative and differentiated solutions for the building and construction industry. We have the people, technology, reach and quality to help you meet your goals.

People•Dedicatedandreliableemployeeswithapplicationexpertise

•ResponsivesupportwithanextensivenetworkofTechnicalSupportCenters

Technology•Broadportfolioofprovenchemistry

•Expansivenetworkofworld-classresearchcapabilities

•Analytical,toxicologicalandenvironmentalcapabilities

•Innovativenewtechnologies

Reach•Buildingindustryknowledge

•Globalorganizationwithworldwidenetwork

•Reliablesupplychainnetwork

Quality•Commitmenttoproductqualityandconsistency

•Operationalexcellence

•Manufacturingknow-how

Dow Solutions for Cure and Seal Formulations

Products Improved Cure and Seal Performance

RHOPLEX™ CS-3800 styrenated acrylic polymer • Hydrophobicity

RHOPLEX™ CS-4000 acrylic polymer• Excellent durability• High gloss

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