Arkansas Patent of the Month – July 2021

The construction industry uses fibers as an additive to concrete. These fibers are meant to improve the concrete’s properties, with industry standards using textured fibers of carbon, glass, nylon and so on. Many of these solutions, however, do not differentiate between the use of alkali-resistant and alkali-insoluble coatings for the fiber. Pascale Industries, Inc. has designed an improved concrete additive fiber and nanoparticle combination for use in concrete.

Their method uses an alkali-insoluble polymer coating to increase the adhesion of the fibers to the concrete. Other methods with alkali-resistant coatings are significantly less adhesive and reduce the efficacy of the fibers to support the concrete. In addition, concrete reinforcing fibers are modified by submersion in alkali-soluble coatings that are filled with nanoparticles. This combination of fiber and nanoparticle coatings, allows the fibers to readily mix in any traditional cement mixing equipment without causing agglomeration. As they are mixed in, the coatings dissolve, releasing the nanoparticles for an even dispersal throughout the cement. By first using the alkali-insoluble coating and then the alkali-soluble coating, the cement benefits from both chemical adhesion of the fibers to the concrete and uniform dispersion of the nanoparticles. Pascale Industries method creates a more effective and structurally sound concrete product.

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