Cellulose ethers are a class of polymer materials derived from natural cellulose. After chemical modification, they have excellent properties such as good water solubility, thickening, and film-forming properties. They mainly include methyl cellulose (MC), hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose (HPMC), hydroxyethyl cellulose (HEC), etc. These cellulose ethers are widely used in building materials due to their special properties.
1. Cement mortar thickener
Cellulose ethers are widely used as thickeners for cement mortar in construction. Adding an appropriate amount of cellulose ether to cement mortar can improve the adhesion and construction performance of the mortar, while preventing the mortar from cracking and falling powder. It can retain water by absorbing moisture, so that the mortar solidifies evenly during the hardening process, reducing the cracking problem caused by drying shrinkage. In addition, cellulose ethers can increase the plasticity of the mortar, improve its construction convenience and operability.
2. Water retaining agent
In a dry or high temperature environment, the moisture of cement-based materials evaporates quickly, which can easily lead to excessive moisture loss and affect the normal hydration of cement. Cellulose ether has good water retention properties. It can maintain sufficient moisture in cement mortar, gypsum-based materials, prolong the hydration time, ensure that cement, gypsum and other cementitious materials are fully hydrated, and then improve their strength and adhesion. This water retention is particularly suitable for dry and high-wind speed construction environments, reducing cracks and extending the service life of materials.
3. Improved construction performance
The thickening effect of cellulose ether also helps to improve the construction performance of mortar and putty. Materials with cellulose ether can be spread more smoothly, reduce sagging, and facilitate operation. Especially when constructing on vertical surfaces, tops and slopes, the material will not slide down easily, which is conducive to achieving a thicker coating layer, reducing construction difficulty and improving project quality. At the same time, the lubricating effect of cellulose ether makes the material easier to apply and reduce the resistance of manual operation.
4. Crack resistance
Cellulose ether can reduce shrinkage cracks caused by water loss during the curing process. Its water retention and thickening effects help the material harden evenly, avoid internal stress caused by local water shortage, and effectively prevent cracks. In addition, cellulose ether can enhance the tensile strength and compressive strength of materials, thereby improving crack resistance, and is suitable for construction with high requirements such as interior and exterior wall plastering.
5. Enhanced bonding
Cellulose ether can greatly improve the bonding performance of building materials. In applications that require high bonding, such as tile adhesives and interface agents, cellulose ether improves the cohesion and adhesion of materials, allowing the materials to better adhere to the substrate, effectively improving the bonding performance. This is particularly important for construction such as wall plastering and tile bonding, which can reduce the risk of falling off and ensure the stability and durability of the materials.
6. Antifreeze and compressive strength
When constructing in winter or cold environments, cement-based materials with cellulose ether added can better resist the effects of low temperatures, maintain their strength, and extend the hardening time of the materials. Cellulose ether can also maintain the operability of cement mortar or gypsum-based materials under low temperature conditions, avoiding the loss of activity of the materials due to low temperatures. In addition, it can help improve the compressive strength of the materials, making the materials more solid and durable during use.
7. Used in self-leveling floors
Cellulose ether also plays an important role in the construction of self-leveling floors. Self-leveling materials are usually required to have excellent fluidity and flatness, while cellulose ether can improve its water retention and fluidity, helping self-leveling floor materials to spread quickly and evenly. The presence of cellulose ether can also extend the opening time of self-leveling floor materials, making it easier for construction personnel to adjust, so that it can form a smoother ground, improving the appearance and practicality.
8. Applicable to gypsum-based materials
Cellulose ether also plays an important role in gypsum-based self-leveling materials and putty powders. It can effectively improve the water retention and crack resistance of gypsum materials, ensuring that gypsum will not shrink and crack due to water loss during the drying process. In addition, cellulose ether can enhance the bonding properties of gypsum materials, allowing them to better adhere to the substrate surface and extend their service life.
9. Improve the weather resistance of materials
Cellulose ether can enhance the weather resistance of materials in some exterior wall coatings and mortars, enabling them to better resist the erosion of natural factors such as ultraviolet rays and rain. This can effectively reduce the fading and peeling of exterior wall coatings, maintain the beauty of the building surface, and extend its service life.
As an important additive in building materials, cellulose ether has multiple advantages such as thickening, water retention, viscosity increase and crack resistance, making it widely used in building materials such as cement mortar, tile adhesive, putty, self-leveling floor, etc. The addition of cellulose ether not only improves the construction performance of the material, but also improves the adhesion, weather resistance and strength of the material, and adapts to the needs of different construction environments. Therefore, the use of cellulose ether has greatly promoted the development of building materials and provided more reliable and durable material support for modern buildings.
Post time: Nov-05-2024