Micro Silica
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Description
Micro Silica is a by product of the industrial manufacture of ferrosilicon and metallic silicon in high-temperature electric arc furnaces. It is a mineral admixture composes of very fine solid glassy spheres of silicon dioxide (SiO2). Most Micro Silica particles are generally 50 to 100 times finer than average cement particles.
Micro Silica, also known as Silica fume is fine amorphous grey silicon oxide powder. Added to concrete, it changes the rheology and reacts with the cement hydration products to dramatically improve concrete strengths, durability and impermeability, allowing concrete to be used in ways never before possible.
Application areas
Micro Silica can be used in almost any applications for concrete containing Portland cement.
- All cement types
- Plastic or fluid concretes
- Precast
- Self consolidating concrete
- Pumped concrete
- High early and ultimate strength
- Foundation concrete below water table
- Ready-mix concrete
- High durability concrete
- Concrete for highly reinforced structures
- High performance Concrete – Very High Performance Concrete – Ultra High Performance Concrete
- High early age strength
- etc
Benefits
Micro Silica improves concrete through its chemical contribution, as adding the water to OPC will cause a hydration that forms Calcium Silicate Hydrates (CSH) + Calcium Hydroxide (CA (OH)2), as a result the Silicon Dioxide from the Micro Silica will react with the CA (OH)2 to produce more aggregate binding (CSH).
Micro Silica when added in concrete can give the below benefits:
- High ultimate compressive and flexural strength for greater structural capacity.
- High early strength gain for faster turnaround time.
- Low permeability for greater resistance to water and salt penetration.
- Increased abrasion and chemical resistance for a longer life expectancy.
- Greatly improved freeze/thaw and scaling resistance.
Packaging
- Bulk delivery on request