Concrete Sealer with Ceramic Coatings and
Titanium Dioxide

Self cleaning concrete sealer is a reality with nano particles of titanium dioxide.

The titanium dioxide will react with sunlight to make hydrogen peroxide.

I have some treated concrete that was normally pressure washed once a year that has been clean for ten years with just sunlight.

Imagine never having to pressure wash again and your property always looking awesome. Well it can be done for less than what you are doing now.

If you apply nano titanium dioxide to your house or business property you will also be cleaning the air around that property

Now for the Technical Stuff

The Technology Behind Simix Reactive Solutions

Self Cleaning NP Technology Organic Matter Oxidization Utilizing TiO2 Nano Particles as the Catalyst in Simix’s Reactive Cured Ceramic Surface Treatment

Titanium Dioxide ( TiO2) while absorbing Ultra Violet Light (UV) in the presence of Water/Vapor Molecules (H2O) and Oxygen converts the H2O into Hydrogen Peroxide (H2O2) that will destroy Organic Compounds without destroying the TiO2, which itself remains unchanged. In essence with the addition of the TiO2 into the Reactive Cured Ceramic Surface Treatment, we have created a Permanent Oxidizing Generator that only needs UV Light to continue to work providing Oxygen and Water/Water Vapor comes in contact with the surface of the TiO2. Organic compounds are broken down into Carbon Dioxide and Water while the Nitrogen Oxides, which are emitted in the burning of fossil fuels and create smog when combined with volatile organic compounds, yield Nitrate Salts.

To date, this technology has not been economically commercialized for concrete sealer applications for several reasons.  First, up and until a few years ago, the producers of TiO2 were only able to make Micron and Macro size particles. It is only recently that very small or Nano size particles have been available. Key here is that each particle regardless of size can only create so much activity or catalytic effect, therefore if you could have 20 particles in the same area where you once had just one large particle you will now have 20 times more activity. Second, if you want this process to work at the interface and on the surface of the Surface Treatment/,concrete sealer you needed to suspend these particles in an Inorganic Clear Coating that would not be destroyed by the process that will be destroying the Organic Matter. Third, you had to figure out how to make a  concrete sealer that would bond to the substrate and allow Water/Water Vapor and Oxygen to come in contact with the TiO2. See paper describing Simix Reactive Cured Ceramic Technology to better understand how this Surface Treatment ties all of this together.

The first known patent describing these phenomena came out of NASA in 1972. Since that date there have been over 500 patents issued on this same subject but none of them have resulted in a user friendly product due to the above reasons. In laboratories around the world they have collectively proven the ability of this process to Oxidize Bacteria, Mold, Mildew, purify water, breakdown oil and for other general hygienic applications.

Once this Surface Treatment/concrete sealer cures it can not go back to a soluble state and has the ability to allow water vapor to pass through it in a controllable manner. It has been observed that when this Surface Treatment/Coating is applied to an Algae or Mold covered surface the photo catalytic effect takes place resulting in Oxidization of the Organic Matter trapped under the coating. In addition, no future Microbial Growth will occur at the substrate or on the surface of the coating as long as the surface is kept free and clear of dirt and debris.

Concrete sealer and potassium silicates

Reactive Cured Ceramic Technology Overview
Cross Linked Ambient Temperature Cured Silicate Technology - As it relates to concrete sealer

As the concrete hydrates, the water is in a gel form.  As the cement paste eventually hardens the water that is left behind from the hydration evaporates off leaving behind capillary pores or channels that are lined with reactive oxides, non-reactive oxides and hydroxide components that create the Calcium Silicate.  These capillary channels are now flow tubes for water and vapor.  The oxides and hydroxides lining these flow tubes are referred to as “Portlandites” and are the undesirable phase in concrete curing because they precipitate as platelets and surround the aggregates.  The result is porous paste/aggregate interface that increases concrete permeability and reduces compression strength.   Portlandites are also subject to acid attack and carbonation/Alkali Silica Reaction or ASR.

Upon application of the Simix Reactive Cured Ceramic water based silicate solution, the soluble SiO2 reacts with the portlandite (Ca (OH) 2) Tri Calcium Silicate and or Ca2+ in the pore solution to form Calcium Silicate Hydroxide (CSH).  CSH is a desirable, space filling –glue phase in the curing process.  The CSH is a microcrystalline structure that will line the wall surface and the center of the tubes with a silica sol-gel that will hold some of the water from the silicate formulation until the cross linking has taken place within the chemical structure of the silica gel and on the capillary walls.   The amorphous gel will eventually become a totally insoluble glassy hard structure some times referred to as “Interior Petrification”.   This solid compound can only be removed with harsh chemicals or ablative wear. Due to the breathable chemistry of the system, Water Vapor Emission’s will be greatly reduced. Other advantages include increased abrasion resistance, density; compressive strength, dust control; increased chemical resistance, no mold growth due to the addition of Self Cleaning NP Technology, Tannin stain resistance; improved durability, Water and Oil Repellent that makes for easier surface clean up.

It is known that a concrete slab, depending upon the composition and formulation as well as the curing technique used, will contain up to an average of 18% by volume of capillary voids.  In most instances Simix Reactive Cured Ceramic Technology could reduce these voids to an average of 5%.

The chemical reaction process under ideal conditions can take place within 20 to 45 minutes. Conditions such as dew point, humidity, slab age, conditions of the slab, ambient and surface temperature along with water exposure can slow down the cross linking/cure time to hours and if the temperatures are below 40 F to even days within the mineral substrate.

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