Aqueous Admixture for Inorganic Binder Additive Manufacturing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current admixtures for inorganic binder compositions, particularly in additive manufacturing, require multiple additives that are difficult to combine and dose accurately, leading to challenges in mixing, curing, and stability, especially in the absence of formwork.
Innovation Solution
An aqueous composition comprising 12-55 weight-% of anionic polymers, 15-35 weight-% of water insoluble liquid defoamers, and optionally 1-10 weight-% of retarders, which reduces mixing water, increases open time, reduces shrinkage, and enhances mechanical strength, facilitating additive manufacturing processes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple additives are used to adjust properties of inorganic binder compositions, then the required properties (strength, flow, water tightness) are improved, but the device complexity and dosing difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple additives (dispersant, defoamer, and at least one additive from the group: pumping aid, rheology modifier, strength enhancer, shrinkage reducer, setting time modifier) into a single aqueous admixture composition. This merging eliminates the need for separate dosing units for each additive, reducing equipment complexity while maintaining the ability to adjust all required properties of the inorganic binder composition.
Solution Approach 2:
The aqueous admixture serves multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as a dispersant to improve flow, a defoamer to reduce air content, and can include pumping aids, rheology modifiers, strength enhancers, and other functional additives. This multi-functionality allows a single additive composition to address multiple property requirements, simplifying the dosing system while maintaining comprehensive property control.
2Device complexity
If multiple additives are combined into one admixture, then the dosing equipment complexity is reduced, but the stability and compatibility of the admixture composition becomes more difficult to maintain
Solution Approach 1:
The patent specifies precise parameter ranges for each component: dispersant (0.1-10 wt%), defoamer (0.1-5 wt%), and optional additives (0.1-5 wt% each). By controlling these concentration parameters within defined ranges, the admixture maintains stability and compatibility among all components. The aqueous base and controlled concentrations prevent unwanted reactions while ensuring all additives function effectively together.
3Stability of the object's composition
If additives are added to dry pre-mix, then storage compatibility is improved, but the type of additives that can be used is limited and dosage adjustment is difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses an aqueous base as an intermediary medium to dissolve or disperse all additives before application. This aqueous intermediary allows liquid and soluble additives that would be incompatible in dry pre-mix form to be effectively combined. The aqueous solution enables easy dosage adjustment by varying the concentration of the admixture added to the inorganic binder, while maintaining storage stability of the individual components in their respective optimal forms.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The proposed aqueous composition stabilizes the inorganic binder composition, reduces viscosity, and improves mechanical strength, enabling efficient and stable layer-by-layer application in additive manufacturing without the need for formwork.
Implementation Method 1
The admixture comprises 0.1-10 weight-% of at least one dispersant
Implementation Method 2
The admixture comprises 0.1-5 weight-% of at least one water insoluble liquid defoamer
Implementation Method 3
The proposed aqueous composition stabilizes the inorganic binder composition
Data Source
AI summary
Aqueous admixtures for inorganic binder compositions, useful in the field of additive manufacturing including a) 12-55, preferably 15-50 weight-%, especially 20-45 weight-% of at least one anionic polymer selected from the group consisiting of plasticizers, water reducers, superplasticizers and workability retainers for inorganic binders, b) 15-35 weight-%, preferably 20-30 weight-% of at least one water insoluble liquid defoamer, and c) optionally 1-10 weight-%, preferably 2-5 weight-% of at least one retarder, based on 100 weight-% of the aqueous composition.