FMC Foret is present in the building sector, through manufacturing additives for cement, concrete and asphalt.

Liquid silicates (Liquid Sodium Silicate and Liquid Potassium Silicate) are used in cement as sealing and setting accelerant components, thanks to their capacity to react with Portlandite, forming hydrated calcium silicate, increasing the cement’s resistance to abrasion and its chemical resistance and durability.

Potassium silicates are used to prevent efflorescence problems in cement. Soluble silicates are used (Liquid Sodium Silicate) in geotechnical applications, to stabilise sandy soils and for guaranteeing water tightness, usually by injection into the ground where they react with materials that harden or gellify the silicate.

Zeolite A improves asphalt ductility, allowing it to be handled at lower than normal temperatures and favouring compacting, while providing greater resistance to deformation. Zeolite prevents the segregation of dry matter in concrete and mortar.

FMC Foret has other innovative specialties as a result of the eforts applied to innovation.

CONCRETE AND MORTAR

• Humacid^® is a powder additive that modulates the viscosity of concrete, and is specially designed for use in complex structures or those with a high reinforcement density. It gives the concrete great fluidifying and binding power, without segregation or exudation, facilitating the pouring of the concrete and achieving high quality finishes.

ROADS AND PATHS

• Teclite^® is an additive in powder form, designed to be used in asphalt, specifically for cold mixes with asphalt emulsions. It increases the fluidity of the asphalt and reduces segregation. It allows work to be done at lower than normal temperatures, thereby ensuring energy savings and reducing VOC emissions.
• SOILFIX NATURE^® stabilises soils and embankments by polymerisation, acting as a binding agent, particularly with respect to clay materials and limestone soils. It has fire-resistant properties (applicable in fire walls) and water-repellent properties (prevents cracking due to freezing). It is an economic process for consolidating soils that causes no harm to the environment.

BUILDING MATERIALS

• OFFNOx^® is a powder additive that removes air pollution by nitrogen oxides (NOx) by  a photocatalytic reaction on the active surface. NOx are converted to safe products for the environment and human health. It acts as a sink and can be applied to ceramics, cement surfaces, aluminum and paints.