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Author
Sitjà Torrens, Carolina
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Abstract
Carboset® X-Flex100 product is a water-based acrylic polymer manufactured by Lubrizol Advanced Materials through an emulsion polymerization process. It is used to create highly flexible and waterproof membranes, once the polymer is mixed with cement.
This project has focused on the study and improvement of the emulsion polymerization of Carboset® X-Flex 100, as well as the study of its behavior with and without cement, taking into account its final application. The project was divided into three parts. The first was dedicated to studying two new polymerization processes, which would give rise to two new polymeric resins: Carboset X-Flex 200 and 300. The results showed considerable differences in the mechanical properties of the resins, such as peel and shear, and also a different behavior once they had been mixed with cement. These differences in properties are attributed to the ice content: the mechanical properties of the resins, with and without cement, improved when the ice content was higher. In the second part, the use of a polymerizable surfactant instead of a conventional one was studied during the polymerization process. The results show that using a polymerizable surfactant doubles the water resistance of the polymer resin, compared to the standard. Mixing with cement also has better resistance to water, as the surface of the samples resist discoloration and degradation due to contact with water for a longer time. The last part consisted of improving the Carboset® X-Flex 100 product, both during polymerization and for the final application, through post-additions. Better stability during polymerization was achieved through modifications in the surfactant concentration and by adding a buffer that increased the pH during the process. The mechanical properties of the cement product were improved with the addition of a descaling agent and a dispersing agent.
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