Linking Knowledge to protect concrete
Protectosil® CIT offers lasting protection against corrosion
Protectosil® CIT is a cost efficient alternative to expensive maintenance measures on steel reinforced buildings and structures. What is more, it is a most apt example of how customers are benefiting from the networking and linking between Degussa Business Units – in this case, the cooperation between Construction Chemicals and Aerosil & Silanes.
Protection against water and chlorides
Reinforced buildings and structures are more susceptible to the effects of weather than would appear at first sight. In the course of time corrosion and rust formation may not only seriously depreciate the looks of buildings, but even weaken their structural strength if repair measures are not carried out in regular intervals.
Protectosil® CIT (CIT stands for Corrosion Inhibitor Treatment) penetrates deep into the pores of the concrete and effectively repels water and harmful chlorides. This gives new buildings lasting protection against corrosion. Protectosil® CIT can also extent the lifetime of existing buildings – even when the reinforcing steel has already started to rust. The product also helps to reform the passivation layer.
Linking Knowledge ties in cross-group know-how
Protectosil® CIT was developed by Degussa’s Aerosil & Silanes Business Unit. “With Protectosil® CIT we have a genuine pioneering technology in our hands,“ declares Dr. Dietmar Wewers, Head of the Business Line Silanes. Now it is a matter of integrating this technology quantum leap into the Degussa organization, finding sales partners, and building up a target oriented sales organization. Two years ago, the Silane experts found strong allies in the Construction Chemicals division. This is decidedly in the spirit of "Linking Knowledge", the exchange and networking of knowledge between the divisions and business units as is demanded and promoted throughout Degussa with its decentral organization.
Brian Williams, Head of Building Systems Europe, quickly recognized the potential: “The protection of reinforcing steel against corrosion and weathering is one of the construction industry’s major challenges. Especially engineers and the owners and operators of multi-storey car parks, bridges, ports and marine structures as well as reinforced concrete buildings will be benefiting from this new technology.“
Reference projects across Europe
Since then Williams and his team have been committed to introducing European customers to the benefits of Protectosil® CIT. And with decided success: the Business Line Building Systems can already point to numerous reference projects in seven European countries. “Thanks to Protectosil we have a significant technology lead over our competitors in the protection and repair of concrete,“ Williams explains.
In the meantime, Aerosil & Silanes has also extended cooperation to additional Business Units. “The majority of Construction Chemicals units has also showed interest in other products of the Protectosil family, including graffiti control, water repellents and easy-to-clean surfaces,” adds Dr. Dietmar Wewers.
Silane technology has ranked as a Degussa core business since more than 50 years. The company holds over 30 years experience in the application of this technology in the building protection area, and the respective research work resulted in the first general patent for silane-based building protection agents, which is only one among many new patents obtained in recent years. The world famous Opera House in Sydney ranks among the notable reference projects.
Detailed information on Protectosil® products and reference projects are available here.