BINDERS

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Definition

Binders are substances that

are used to bind inorganic and
organic particles and fibers to
form strong, hard and/or
flexible components.

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The binding action

The binding action is generally

due to chemical reactions
which take place when the
binder is heated, mixed with
water and/or other materials,
or just exposed to air.
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Types of binders to be discussed

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 Main groups of binders
There are three main groups of binders:
Mineral binders
Bituminous (Asphalt) binders
Synthetic binders

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MINERAL BINDERS

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 Non-hydraulic binders
Non-hydraulic binders only harden in the
presence of air

The most common non-hydraulic binder is

lime. Hardening depends on its
combination with carbon dioxide from the
air (carbonation), by which it again
becomes calcium carbonate (limestone).

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Cont’d

Gypsum is a non-hydraulic binder

which occurs naturally as a soft
crystalline rock.
The chemical name is calcium
sulfate anhydrate (CaS04.2H20).

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Cont’d

By gentle heating up to about the

boiling point of water calcium
sulfate hemi-hydrate
(CaSO4.1/2H2O) is produced,
more commonly known as
"Plaster of Paris", which when
mixed with water sets in 10
minutes.

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 Hydraulic binders
Hydraulic binders require water to
harden and develop strength.
The most common hydraulic
binder is Portland cement.
Hydraulic binders are usually
available in the form of a fine
powder.

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Cont’d

On account of their affinity to

water, hydraulic binders must be
stored in absolutely dry
conditions, to avoid premature
setting and hardening (pre-
hydration and carbonation) Even
humid air can cause hydration.
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 BITUMINOUS BINDERS
"Asphalt" is a dark brown to black, highly
viscous, hydrocarbon produced from
petroleum distillation residue.  This
distillation can occur naturally, resulting in
asphalt lakes, or occur in a petroleum
refinery. 

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 Native asphalt

Native asphalts are

obtained from asphalt
lakes….were used in
some of the earliest
pavements.

Asphalt Lake

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 Petroleum asphalt

Petroleum asphalts are products of the distillation of crude oil. These asphalts
are by far the most common bituminous paving materials .

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 Types of asphalt
The major asphalt or bituminous materials
are:
Asphalt cements
Liquid asphalts
Asphalt emulsions

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 Asphalt cements

Asphalt cements are the primary

asphalt products produced by the
distillation of crude oil. They are
produced in various grades.

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 Grades of AC
Viscosity Grade Penetration Grade

AC 2.5 200-300

AC 5 120-150

AC 10 85-100

AC 20 60-70

AC 40 40-50
For example, AC 2.5 has a viscosity of 250 poises ± 50. AC 40 has a viscosity of
4000 poises ± 800.

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Cont’d

Asphalt cements were originally graded

according to penetration value. This is an
empirical test in which the amount the
needle penetrates a prepared asphalt
sample in five seconds is measured in
tenths of a millimeter under standard
conditions. For example, if the needle
penetrated 9.8 mm-or 98 tenths of a mm-
the penetration value would be 98.

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Cutback asphalts (Liquid asphalts)

Cutback asphalts (Liquid asphalts)

are asphalt cements mixed with a
solvent to reduce their viscosity
and, thus, make them easier to
use at ordinary temperatures.

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20
Cont’d

Liquid asphalts are commonly

heated (if required) and then
sprayed on aggregates. Upon
evaporation of the solvent, they
cure or harden and cement the
aggregate particles together.

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 Types of liquid asphalt
Types and grades are based on the
type of solvent, which governs
viscosity and the rates of evaporation
and curing. Solvent contents are
commonly from 15% to 40% of the
total.
Grades of liquid asphalts are
governed by viscosity.

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Cont’d

1. Rapid Curing (RC) - use gasoline

as a solvent, and therefore cure
rapidly.
2. Medium Curing (MC) - use
kerosene as a solvent.
3. Slow Curing (SC) - use diesel fuel
as a solvent.

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 Asphalt emulsions

Asphalt emulsions are mixtures

of asphalt cement and water. As
these components do not mix
themselves, an emulsifying agent
must be added.

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Cont’d

The emulsifying unit breaks up the

asphalt cement and disperses it,
in the form of very fine droplets, in
the water carrier. When used, the
emulsion sets as the water
evaporates.

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Cont’d

The emulsion usually contains

55%-75% asphalt cement and
up to 3% emulsifying agent,
with the balance being water.

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 SYNTHETIC BINDERS

Synthetic binders are generally

produced by industrial processes.
They can either be used as
admixtures, as adhesives or as
surface coatings and are either
applied hot, or as an emulsion, or
with a solvent.
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Cont’d

Synthetic admixtures which bond

loose particles together are mainly
resins derived from plant materials or
mineral oil.
Adhesives are used to stick larger
particles, components, membranes,
sheets, boards, tiles, etc. on another
surface.

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LIME

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General
 Lime is one of the oldest known cementing
material

 Lime is found in many parts of the world in

its natural form as a rock of varying degree
of hardness.

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Cont’d

 Lime is mainly composed of calcium oxide

(CaO).
 Lime in its pure form associates with CO2
to give white CaCo3.
 Lime deposits are generally found mixed
with impurities such as CO2, Fe2 O3, and
MgCO3.
 Depending on the impurities, lime deposits
acquire different colors.
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Production of lime
Lime is produced by burning the raw material
limestone CaCO3.

 Chalk , shell and coal can have CaCO3

content exceeding 98 %

 dolomite mineral has as low as 54 %

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 The burning process
• The burning process takes place in either:

• Vertical shaft kiln

• Rotary kiln

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 Vertical shaft kiln
The raw materials fed in at the top & the
finished product drawn off through an
opening at the bottom.
Limestone

~10000c

Lime

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35
 Rotary kiln
The raw materials fed in at the top & the
finished product drawn off through at the
bottom continuously.

Limestone

Lime

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CLASSIFICATION OF LIME

Commercial lime is classified into three

groups:

1. Quick lime (Caustic lime)

2. Hydrated lime (Slaked lime)
3. Hydraulic lime

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 Quick Lime
The manufacture of quick lime consists in
burning the limestone in some form of
vertical kilns to a temperature of 10000c.

CaCO3  CaO+CO2

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Quick Lime:
• Is obtained by calcining (burning) the purest
available calcium carbonate
• Gives out considerable heat
• Swells two to three times of its original volume
upon addition of water
• Takes much time in hardening
• Is used for plastering and white washing
• Is not suitable for being used as mortar because
of its poor strength and slow hardening

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Hydrated Lime (Slaked Lime)
Quick lime can never be used as such for
construction purposes but must be mixed
with water.

CaO+H2O Ca (OH)2 + heat

This process is called slaking and the

product (calcium hydroxide) is called
slaked lime or hydrated lime
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Forms of hydrated lime
Depending upon the amount of water
added during the slaking process, three
forms of hydrated lime are commonly
produced:
a) Dry hydrate, a dry, fine powder, formed
by adding just enough water (Dry-Slaking) to
slake the lime, which is dried by the heat
evolved;

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 Cont’d

b) Milk of lime, made by slaking quicklime

with a large excess of water (Wet-Slaking)
and agitating well, forming a milky
suspension;

c) Lime putty, a viscous mass, formed by

the settling of the solids in the milk of lime.

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Hydraulic Lime
Is prepared by burning impure limestone
that contains clay, producing compounds
similar to those present in Portland
cement. It is stronger but less fat or plastic
than non-hydraulic lime.
Hydraulic lime is manufactured in the
same way as quick lime, although a
somewhat higher temperature is required
in burning.

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SETTING AND HARDENING OF LIME

Slaked lime hardens or sets by

gradually losing the water through
evaporation and absorbing carbon
dioxide from the air thus changing
back from calcium hydroxide, Ca
(OH)2 to calcium carbonate,
CaCO3 or limestone.

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The Lime cycle

CaCO3
Burning
Drying

Ca(OH)2 CaO

Slaking

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USES OF LIME
1. Lime as a construction material
 As mortar (lime mortar) mixed with sand
 Lime is used in cement mortar to make it more
workable
 As plaster (lime plaster)
 As a whitewash, when it gives a sparkling white
finished at a very low cost
 As lime concrete
 As an important constituent of sand – lime bricks
 As a stabilizer in soil constructions with clayey soils

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 2. Lime as an industrial material
In industry, lime finds many applications:
• As a flux in the metallurgical industry
• As a refractory material for lining metallurgical furnaces;
• As a raw material for the manufacture of glasses.

3. Lime as an agricultural input

Lime is used for improving the productive qualities of
soils. It is added to the poor soils to enrich their lime
content.

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 Advantages of Lime
• Lime is produced with less energy input than cement,
making it cheaper and environmentally more
acceptable.
• In mortars and plasterwork, lime is far superior to
Portland cement, providing gentle surfaces which can
deform rather than crack and help to control moisture
movement and condensation.
• Whitewashes are not only cheap paints, but also act
as a mild germicide.

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 Disadvantages of Lime
• If quicklime is stored in moist conditions (even humid air), it
will hydrate.
• Hydrated lime, stored for long periods, gradually reacts
with the carbon dioxide in the air and becomes useless.
• Lime bursting (hydration of remaining quick lime nodules)
can take place long after the component has dried, causing
blisters, cracks and unsightly surfaces.
• Plain whitewashes take a long time to harden, and are
easily rubbed off.
• Traditional lime burning in intermittent kilns wastes a great
deal of fuel (usually firewood) and often produces non-
uniform, low quality limes (over-burnt or under-burnt).

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Questions?

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GYPSUM PLASTERS

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General
Gypsum is a combination of sulfate of lime
with water of crystallization.
Gypsum occurs naturally as:
 Hydrous sulfate of lime (Ca SO4 2H2O)
which is generally 76% CaSO4 and 24%
H2O,
 Anhydrate (Ca SO4).
Pure gypsum is known as alabaster and it
is a white translucent crystalline mineral
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Gypsum plasters
Gypsum plasters are used in the arts and
in building construction.
Gypsum plasters are manufactured by
heating the raw material gypsum at either
moderate or high temperatures the results
being plaster of Paris or hard-finish plaster
respectively.

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 PLASTER OF PARIS
If some of the water of crystallization is
driven off by incomplete dehydration at a
temperature just above the boiling point of
water 1000c pure, finely ground gypsum, a
semi-hydrated plaster is obtained which is
known as plaster of Paris.
(CaSO4.2H2O)+Moderate Heat (CaSO4 .1/2 H2O) +1/2 H2O

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 Cont’d
Plaster of Paris:
 is a white powder having a specific gravity of
2.57.
 is also known as low-temperature gypsum
derivative or semi-hydrated plasters (hemi
hydrate).
 is used for small patching jobs on plaster walls.
 When mixed with sufficient water to form a
plastic paste it sets very rapidly (retarder must
be added)

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 Cont’d

• Glue, sawdust or blood can be added to

Retard the setting time of the plaster.
• Owing to rapidity of setting ,its use in
structures is limited to ornamental work.

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 Complete cycle in gypsum used as plaster

`
CaSo4.2H2O
Moderate
Hydration heat

CaSo4.1/2H2O

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 HARD-FINISH PLASTER
Produced by burning gypsum to a considerably
higher temperature .
Hard-finish plaster is also known as anhydrous
plaster or high-temperature gypsum derivative.

(CaSO4. 2H2O)+High Heat CaSO4+ 2H2O

This plaster is less soluble with consequent reluctance to

absorb water in the process of re crystallization.

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 Other Derivatives of Gypsum
1.Gypsum Ready Mixed Plaster
• Is calcined gypsum(CaSo4.1/2H2O) mixed at
the mill with mineral aggregate to serve as a
base to receive various coats.
• Contains about 60% of CaSo4.1/2H2O
• 2.Gypsum Neat plaster
• Contains about 66% of CaSo4.1/2H2O by
weight.
• The addition of aggregate is made on site. 59
• 3.Gypsum Wood fibered plaster
• Composed of not less than 66% of
CaSo4.1/2H2O and about 1% wood fiber.
• 4 . Gypsum bond plaster
• Used as a bonding scratch -coat over
monolithic concrete.
• It contains not less than 93% of
CaSo4.1/2H2O and not less than 2% or more
than 5% of hydrated lime.

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5.Gypsum Gauging Plaster

..is prepared for mixing with lime putty for

the finish coat.

.. Contains not less than 66% of

CaSo4.1/2H2O

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The End

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