Nowadays, water repellent is more and more commonly used in people's lives for solving the mess resulting from sudden bad weather conditions. From the cost, water resistance effect, and many other prospects, manufacturers want to find out more useful materials that can be used as water repellent. This article will state what can be used as a water repellent and why.
Silicone materials, as a new type of non-polluting, non-irritating and efficient waterproof products, are widely used in many fields, such as construction, fabric, and so on. Silicone waterproofing agent is a new type of non-polluting, non-irritating, and efficient waterproofing material, which is widely used in advanced countries around the world.
Then let’s talk below:
- Differences between silicone and traditional water repellent
- Why water repellent is necessary? (Typical examples)
- Application (Construction, Fabric)
Silicone vs Traditional
Silicone waterproofing agent
- Not only by physical action. Mainly by the chemical effect, the formation of water-repellent layer waterproof
- Non-toxic and tasteless, green products
- Belong to organic inorganic composite materials, non-aging, can improve the compressive strength of concrete, long-term water resistance, extend the life of concrete.
- Can penetrate into the concrete to achieve the overall waterproof effect
- Resistant to high and low temperatures, strong resistance to freeze-thaw cycles
- Breathable, keeping the building dry
- The base surface is allowed to be wet and no leveling layer is required
- No need to fill and trim corners, joints and edges, no overlap to ensure waterproofing integrity
- Can be completed simultaneously with the mixed concrete, which can shorten the construction period, simple construction operation, low overall cost
- Good waterproofing effect, long service life, no maintenance
Traditional waterproofing materials
- Only rely on physical action to cover the concrete surface waterproofing
- Most materials have an irritating odor, toxic, harmful to the human body
- No effect on the strength of concrete, easy aging, limited life
- Surface waterproofing with limited or no penetration
- Weak resistance to high and low temperatures and freeze-thaw cycles
- Not breathable
- The substrate generally requires dryness and requires a leveling layer
- Corners, joints, edges require special treatment, with overlaps, is a potential leakage problem
- Generally can not be synchronized with the concrete construction, construction operation technology is more complex, construction labor intensity, high comprehensive cost
- Short service life, requiring maintenance once every few years
Why water repellent is necessary？
Because water repellent materials have water-resistant; prevent moisture, steam, and other harmful gases and liquids in the air from corroding the covering. At the same time, it can prevent frost, moss, weathering, pollution and other comprehensive effects by isolating moisture and liquid water while preventing corrosion.
A few typical examples:
1. For steel and other metals water repellent
 | Because of water-resistant properties, durable water repellent materials can prevent water from penetrating to the metal surface; prevent moisture, steam and other harmful gases and liquids in the air from corroding metals, and slow down metal oxidation, especially the rate of rust, oxidation and corrosion of steel in a high-humidity environment Several times the dry environment, so the water repellent treatment of steel can greatly improve its durability. |
2. For stone water repellent
 | Stone water repellent is the water repellent of stone and brick products such as marble, cultural stone, artificial stone, chopping stone, ceramic tile, mosaic, inscription and other stone and brick products.
In a certain marble floor tile, the comparison between two pictures without water repellent and water repellency is very obvious.
In addition, the stone is treated with professional water repellent before construction, so that it will not be polluted by the outside world, and it will always maintain a beautiful and new effect. |
3. For wood water repellent
Application
1. Building wall
Water repellency can be used on the exterior walls of various buildings, such as brick walls, ceramic tiles, and natural stone-facing exterior walls. It can be water resistance, anti-seepage, anti-fouling, color-preserving, and anti-weathering without changing the original base color.
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Excellent waterproof performance
 | The treated wall is just like wearing a waterproof fabric raincoat to repel water when in light rain or rain showers. It has an effect similar to the water protection of lotus leaves. The wall will always be in a dry state due to excellent water resistance, anti-mildew, anti-efflorescence and anti-weathering functions. |
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Good air permeability
General waterproofing agent blocks the micropores and capillaries (holes) on the surface of the building to isolate the water and air from the outside and play a waterproof role. However, at the same time, it also blocks the internal moisture emission of building materials. This is the "impermeable" property of general waterproofing agents, which causes blistering, cracking and peeling of building surface coatings. The silicone water-repellent agent, which is both waterproof and breathable, is also called breathable waterproof coating.
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Moisture-proof, mildew-proof, and no moss
Keep the room dry in a humid environment, especially suitable for (food) warehouses, residences, archives, libraries, etc. It is used on the joints of tiles and mosaics. Because it does not absorb water, it will not freeze and expand in winter, which can prevent the tiles and mosaics from peeling off. Used on natural stones such as monumental stele towers, it can prevent the growth of moss and keep the surface clean.
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Anti-pollution, anti-weathering and color retention
 | This product is used in gardens, stone buildings, red and yellow powder walls, stone statues, inscriptions, etc. It can effectively prevent rainwater from washing and maintaining the original color, without enhancing the appearance of the original, and preventing corrosion Anti-weathering protection of cultural relics. After being washed with natural rainwater, the dust will not stick, which can effectively prevent pollution. |
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Good durability
It has excellent durability; in addition, the water repellent can penetrate to a certain depth in the wall, so it is less affected by ultraviolet radiation and atmospheric aging and has a long service life.
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Detailed application: Gypsum Board
Gypsum Board, also known as wallboard, plasterboard, is a cost-effective building material used specifically to make interior and exterior structural walls and ceilings.
There is a reason why the gypsum board is one of the most common names among all paneling products. Compared to different paneling materials such as fiberboard, hardwood, and plywood, the gypsum board stands out for inherently water repellent advantages. Gypsum board with a hydroxyl group, and it will react with hydrogen group to form a water repellent film.
2. Waterproof fabrics
With the improvement of people's living standards, functional fabrics such as waterproof coating technology is becoming more and more popular among consumers. Commonly used water repellent clothing according to performance can be divided into four aspects of water, oil, dirt and easy to decontaminate, after different textile waterproof agent finishing, can give the textile above four properties.
The so-called waterproof refers to the reduction of fabric adsorption of water at the same time, so that water does not immediately penetrate the fabric surface, but the formation of water droplets. Waterproof-finished fabrics still penetrate when water stays for a long time, but have better breathability and comfort than water-resistant finishes.
 | Water-resistant cloth with hydrophobic materials repels water in a short period of time to prevent wetting and anti-penetration effect even in heavy rain with high water pressure, on the contrary, daily clothing with hydrophilic materials is almost immediately wet. In a certain period of time to wipe away the water droplets on the waterproof jacket, it is still possible to keep the fabric dry. |
The principle of oil-proof and stain-proof is the same as that of water-proof, both by changing the composition of the fiber surface layer and firmly attached to the fiber or combined with the chemical fiber, so that the fabric is not wetted by the common oil stain.
Waterproof and oil-proof fabric is a functional and intelligent fabric. Textiles finished with water and oil repellency can resist rain and oil stains, and also allow human sweat and perspiration to be discharged in a timely manner, thus keeping the human body dry and warm. Tablecloths and car shields with water and oil repellency applied in the decoration and industrial fields are also highly favored.
