Coated-fine-aggregate, concrete composition and method

• US 10,150,701 B2
• Filed: 09/20/2017
• Issued: 12/11/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AquaSmart Enterprises, LLC
• Original Assignee: AquaSmart Enterprises, LLC
• Inventors: Hendrickson, Calder, Naff, Todd
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Hui H
• Application Number:
  US15/710,489
• Publication Number:
  US 20180065890A1
• Time in Patent Office: 447 Days
• Field of Search: 524 4
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/262 obtained otherwise than by reactions only involving carbon to carbon unsaturated bonds, e.g. obtained by polycondensation macromolecular compounds obtained otherwise than by reactions only involving unsaturated carbon-to-carbon bonds per se C08G
• CPC Class Codes: B28B 1/14 by simple casting, the material being neither forcibly fed nor positively compacted for molten material B28B1/54
• CPC Class Codes: B28B 17/02 Conditioning the material prior to shaping for mixtures containing clay or cement B28C
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 14/06 Quartz; Sand
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 16/04 Macromolecular compounds C04B16/02 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 20/1033 obtained by reactions only involving carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2103/0051 Water-absorbing polymers, hydrophilic polymers
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 24/287 Polyamides
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 28/02 containing hydraulic cements other than calcium sulfates
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 28/14 containing calcium sulfate cements gypsum-paper plates E04C
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 40/0633 Chemical separation of ingredients, e.g. slowly soluble activator
• CPC Class Codes: E04G 21/02 Conveying or working-up concrete or similar masses able to be heaped or cast in connection with finishing work E04F; construction and surfacing of floorings made of similar material to roads or pavements E01C; in connection with barrages E02B7/00; in connection with foundations E02D15/00; composition of concrete C04B; working concrete in general, e.g. mixing machines B28C

Abstract

A concrete composition and method include a portion of fine aggregate bearing a coating of a polymer, which may be a continuous coating layer or a layer of powdered, discrete particles embedded in a binder. The polymeric coating may be a super absorbent polymer (insoluble in water, but absorbing water), or another polymer such as the acrylamides, co-polymers thereof, polyacrylamides, or the like (soluble in water). The coating absorbs water, but particles are too small to form significant voids. Water is absorbed into the concrete mix in far greater proportions (e.g. w/c ratio over 0.5) improving workability, doubling workability time, and improving ultimate compressive stress (strength).

Claims

1. A composition comprising:

a polymer coated fine aggregate comprising granules having an average effective diameter effectively equivalent to an average effective diameter of sand to mix with a cement and having the granules individually powder coated with a powder comprising a water-absorbing polymer.

2. The composition of claim 1, wherein the powder is bound by a binder to the granules individually, as a substrate.

3. The composition of claim 1, wherein the polymer coated fine aggregate further comprises a shell.

4. The composition of claim 1, wherein the powder is comprised of at least two polymers selected from an acrylamide, an acrylamide co-polymer, a polyacrylamide (PAM), and a super absorbent polymer (SAP).

5. A method of combining constituents, the method comprising:

selecting a coarse aggregate comprising rocks of a comparatively larger size;

selecting a fine aggregate comprising granules of sand substantially smaller than the coarse aggregate;

selecting a cement;

selecting a super absorbent polymer comprising a powder having particles, dry, discrete, and comminuted to a size smaller than the fine aggregate;

coating, by powder coating, a portion of the fine aggregate with the super absorbent polymer in a manner that maintains the portion as individual granules;

mixing the constituents with water such that the cement and the fine aggregate effectively completely fill interstitial space between the rocks of the large aggregate;

casting the mixture into a restraint effective to mold the mixture to a shape;

curing the constituents to a level where the porosity of the shape is less than 0.05 pounds of water over twenty-eight days.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the porosity of the shape is approximately 0.03 pounds of water over twenty-eight days.

7. A method of providing a polymer-coated fine aggregate, the method comprising:

selecting a fine aggregate comprising granules to mix with a cement and having an average effective diameter effectively equivalent to an average effective diameter of sand;

selecting a super absorbent polymer comprising a powder having particles, dry, discrete, and comminuted to a size smaller than the granules; and

coating, by powder coating, the fine aggregate with the super absorbent polymer in a manner that maintains the fine aggregate as individual granules.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

washing the fine aggregate after selecting the fine aggregate.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

coating the fine aggregate with a shell.

10. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

using the coated fine aggregate with the cement in a manner that reduces the porosity of a resultant shape by at least half as compared to a shape obtained by using the cement without the coated fine aggregate.

11. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

using the coated fine aggregate with the cement in a manner that results in a shape having a porosity of approximately 0.03 pounds of water over twenty-eight days.

12. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

washing the fine aggregate after selecting the fine aggregate; and

applying a binder to the fine aggregate before coating the fine aggregate with the super absorbent polymer.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

curing the fine aggregate after coating the fine aggregate with the super absorbent polymer.