Coated-fine-aggregate, concrete composition and method

• US 10,611,687 B2
• Filed: 11/28/2018
• Issued: 04/07/2020
• 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:
  US16/202,795
• Publication Number:
  US 20190177225A1
• Time in Patent Office: 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 fine aggregate comprising granules having an average effective diameter effectively equivalent to an average effective diameter of sand; and

an admixture powder suitable for use with the fine aggregate and individually powder coated onto at least a portion of the fine aggregate.

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 2, wherein the binder is a liquid admixture that binds at least a portion of the admixture powder to the fine aggregate.

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

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

6. The composition of claim 1, wherein the admixture powder is comprised of at least two polymers selected from the group consisting of:

a natural polymer, an acrylamide, an acrylamide co-polymer, a polyacrylamide (PAM), and a super absorbent polymer (SAP).

7. The composition of claim 6, wherein the admixture powder is comprised of guar.

8. The composition of claim 1, wherein the admixture powder is comprised of at least two powders selected from the group consisting of:

a lignosulfate, a guar, a natural wood resin, a nitrite salt, a polyacrylamide, and a superabsorbent polymer.

9. The composition of claim 8, wherein the coated fine aggregate further comprises a shell.

10. The composition of claim 8, wherein the admixture powders are bound by a binder to the granules individually, as a substrate, and the binder is a liquid admixture that binds at least a portion of the admixture powders to the fine aggregate.

11. The composition of claim 10, wherein the coated fine aggregate further comprises a shell.

12. A method of producing a composition, the method comprising:

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

selecting an admixture comprising a powder having particles, dry, discrete, and comminuted to a size smaller than the fine aggregate; and

coating, by powder coating, a portion of the fine aggregate with the admixture in a manner that maintains the portion as individual granules.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

washing the fine aggregate after selecting the fine aggregate; and

drying the fine aggregate so the fine aggregate is over 95% dry.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the admixture comprises two admixture component powders selected from the group consisting of:

accelerators, corrosion inhibitors, shrinkage reducers, superplasticizers, water reducers, retarders alkali silica reactivity inhibitors, biopolymers, viscosity modifiers, air entrainment compounds, polyacrylamides, and superabsorbent polymers.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

coating, by powder coating, the portion of the fine aggregate with a second admixture comprising a powder having particles, dry, discrete, and comminuted to a size smaller than the fine aggregate and in a manner that maintains the portion as individual granules.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

coating the portion of the fine aggregate with a shell.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

coating the portion of the fine aggregate with a shell.

18. A method of producing a composition, the method comprising:

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

applying a binder to the fine aggregate, wherein the binder is a liquid admixture;

selecting an admixture comprising a powder having particles, dry, discrete, and comminuted to a size smaller than the fine aggregate; and

coating, by powder coating, a portion of the fine aggregate with the admixture in a manner that maintains the portion as individual granules.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

washing the fine aggregate after selecting the fine aggregate; and

drying the fine aggregate so the fine aggregate is over 90% dry after washing the fine aggregate.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the admixture comprises two admixture component powders selected from the group consisting of:

accelerators, corrosion inhibitors, shrinkage reducers, superplasticizers, water reducers, retarders alkali silica reactivity inhibitors, biopolymers, viscosity modifiers, air entrainment compounds, polyacrylamides, and superabsorbent polymers.