Concretes using less water thanks to Ethacryl Additives

Water is an increasingly precious resource in the construction industry, which is a major consumer. Ethacryl™ additives from our Coatex subsidiary help save water on the construction sites by reducing the volume needed by 30% to make concrete.

The polycarboxylates, a family of products manufactured by firms such as Coatex, are used as concrete rheological admixtures to improve dispersion of cement particles, which makes the concrete flow better. They thus deliver considerable water savings. With 1% admixture in the cement, the volume of water needed to prepare a cubic meter of concrete can be reduced by 30% to 40%. “These additives, described as third generation, are much more effective than their predecessors” says Christophe Salus, Global Business Manager, Building Materials at Coatex. "They really dominate the market in developed countries, and are achieving strong growth – 14% since 2014 – in Asia (Indonesia, Thailand) and the Middle East."

Higher buildings in response to urban densification

In this highly competitive sector, Coatex’s Ethacryl™ range, based on an exclusive proprietary technology, is recognized for its specific qualities. Some grades are formulated to lengthen the “flow time” of the concrete. This is because it sometimes takes three or four hours to pump it to the top of increasingly high tower blocks or skyscrapers. Others are formulated to increase their mechanical properties or their resistance during the first few days after curing. “These properties answer the current needs of urban densification and vertical living,” says Christophe Salus. Ethacryl™ additives are also used to produce plasterboards (commonly employed in building in the United States). Here too, they reduce the volume of water required – and therefore the quantity of energy consumed to dry the products.

Concretes using less water - Thanks to Ethacryl™ additives

Higher buildings in response to urban densification

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