Sat, 21 May 2022

Things You Should Know About Sodium Naphthalene

22 Apr 2022, 02:02 GMT+10

Cement is one of the basic materials used for construction. Everything that you see around you: houses, bridges, schools, roads, hospitals, etc., were built using this substance, besides other materials. It plays the role of a binder in construction. The concrete has maximum strength only if the water to concrete ratio is perfect. Too much water leads to low compressive strength, cracking, scaling, and water leakage. However, not adding sufficient water makes the cement challenging to work with. Using sodium naphthalene makes it easy to pour, mix and use freshly produced cement. Unlike plasticizers, they are high-range water reducers. At the same time, they reduce the concrete's water content by approximately 30%.

So, what are the uses of this product, benefits, and other details you must know? Read on to learn more.

What is sodium naphthalene?

As mentioned above, it is a high-capability water reducer. It has several names like SNF superplasticizer, naphthalene sulfonate, and sodium naphthalene formaldehyde. Because it can reduce the water content by a wide margin and has a dispersing effect on concrete, it finds a strong presence in the construction industry besides agriculture, textiles, petroleum, and paper.

Some features of this superplasticizer

If you have never used a superplasticizer before, knowing about this product's features will help you a lot. In terms of appearance, it varies from light brown to yellow-brown. It quickly dissolves once you mix it with water, diethylene glycol, and ethylene glycol. This water reducing agent has a PH value between 7 to 9, indicating base and acidity. You will usually come across them in three types: SNF-A, SNF.B, and SNF-C.

Benefits of sodium naphthalene

Besides reducing water usage in cement, this product also makes concrete easy to work with. While less water is ideal for concrete, it makes mixture and placement challenging, weakening the construction significantly. Here are some of its various advantages you must know.

  • It is an effective water reducer

SNF is one of the best superplasticizers you will find in the market and is pretty popular with professionals in the construction industry. It reduces the water requirement by almost 25% to 30%. Constant water to cement ratio also positively affects a concrete's slump (refers to cement's consistency before it sets), as you have more time to adjust the mix according to your requirements.

  • Works with various types of cement

You would find it highly inconvenient if you had to buy a superplasticizer every time you used a different cement type. One of the significant advantages of SNF is its adaptability with various kinds of binders like Portland slag and ordinary and fly ash. It is also helpful while preparing high-performance, large fluid, pumped, steamed, and high-strength concrete. Because of its high adaptability, engineers have used it in various projects like tunnels, bridges, ports, skyscrapers, and power engineering. It also increases the mixture's strength between 20% to 60%, ensuring a high quality of the finished product. SNF also works well with concrete admixtures (natural chemicals that strengthen fresh concrete properties). You can use it as a pumping and waterproofing agent or air-entraining.

  • It is completely safe

This superplasticizer does not contain any irritants or radioactive substances that might affect your health, and test trials have found it completely safe.

What are its different application methods?

You could mix SNF powder directly into the cement or ensure the aggregate (gravel, sand, and crushed rock materials) contains at least 60% water before using it. While using porous concrete, it is advisable first to add some water, followed by the superplasticizer. If you have to transport the concrete after some hours or transport it to a location within a few hours' drive, it will help mix the binder with SNF. If the powder turns damp, you might consider dissolving it in hot water before adding it to the concrete mixer.

How to select a manufacturer before buying SNF?

You must purchase your SNF water reducing agent from a trusted manufacturer. It is better to buy this mixing agent from an experienced manufacturer with more than 15 years of experience. You could also check if they have an efficient research and development team. Before placing your order, check whether the company is AAA certified, guaranteeing high credibility. You must check if the product is ISO certified since that would ensure top-notch quality. Usually, SNF is available in 25-kilo bags or 650-kilo jumbo bags.

You must use sodium naphthalene to reduce the water usage in your cement mixture, increase its strength, and ensure it provides the desired results. Once you mix this powder, your cement will have higher workability and effectiveness.

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