Consumables
Raw materials, prefabricated products, system solutions: BASF at the BAU 2009
Monday 27. October 2008 - Insulation and climate regulation for walls, roofs and ceilings Products for industrial, sports and passive-house floors Concrete products, prefabricated components and ready-mix concrete Paints and coatings Polymers for finishes and for the building chemicals industry
BASF will be showcasing innovative raw materials, exclusive prefabricated products and tailor-made system solutions for construction and renovation at the BAU 2009, which will be held from January 12 to 17 in Munich, Germany. Hall A4, stand 303 is where architects, planning engineers and processors as well as dealers, contractors and builders will be able to obtain information about the many innovations. The featured topics include energy efficiency in the insulation of walls, roofs, and ceilings, solutions for floors and the building chemicals industry as well as paints and coatings. PCI Augsburg, a subsidiary of BASF, will exhibit its products in hall A1, stand 410/411.
Efficient energy management on façades and walls
The insulation of buildings using BASF products saves energy, ensures a comfortable living climate and reduces costs for heating and cooling. This is particularly true of passive houses, which are built using various components made with BASF foams that will be on display at the fair trade stand.
External thermal insulation composite systems (ETICS) with Neopor, the innovative insulating material made of expandable polystyrene (EPS), are a cost-effective thermal insulating solution for new as well as old houses, since the insulating material can be thinner while, at the same time, the insulation value is better than with ETICS made of conventional EPS. If the building shell consists of double-wall masonry, it can be retrofitted with core insulation comprising particle-foam beads made of Neopor. These lightweight beads can be distributed uniformly and efficiently be¬tween the two walls employing the blow-in thermal insulation technique.
Elastogran, a BASF subsidiary, manufactures polyurethane products that allow an energy-efficient and uncomplicated insulation: sandwich elements, pipe insulation, insulating panels and spray foam for different types of buildings. Façade sandwich elements made of Elastopir, the rigid-foam system with good fire-protection properties based on polyisocyanurate (PIR) will be on display. Insulation panels made of Elastopor H, a closed-cell polyurethane rigid foam, lend themselves as thin and efficient insulation for double-wall masonry. The PU rigid foam stands out for its high-temperature resistance and durability, good mechanical properties as well as low thermal conductivity (WLS 024).
Several construction materials used for the thermal regulation of indoor climate and made on the basis of the raw material Micronal PCM will likewise be exhibited at the BASF stand: gypsum plaster, a gypsum construction panel and a PCM-modified aerated concrete block. Micronal PCM is a micro-encapsulated latent-heat storage material whose microscopic plastic capsules have a core of pure wax. If the room temperature reaches the defined melting temperature (e.g. 23°C [73.4°F]), the wax liquefies and, as a result of this phase change, absorbs the excess heat from the room. This halts the rise in temperature, something that is not possible with any other technology. Once the temperature drops again, the wax solidifies and the capsules release their heat back into the room.
When it comes to energy-saving renovation projects, the details are paramount: in order to avoid thermal bridges in roller shutter casings, coated strips of the melamine resin foam Basotect can be used to retrofit the structure with thermal insulation. Basotect is lightweight, flame-retardant and provides outstanding thermal and acoustic insulation. The insulation of roller shutters with Basotect also prevents mold growth on walls caused by condensation.
Ecological climate management on roofs and ceilings
Styrodur C, the environmentally friendly, extruded polystyrene panel (XPS), provides a cost-effective way to install state-of-the-art thermal protection on flat roofs. Among other things, passive-house components made of Styrodur C for several types of roofs will be exhibited at BASFs trade fair stand. Styrodur C with its high compressive strength is particularly suitable for the so-called “plus roof” – in which an inverted roof is placed onto a warm roof – since it absorbs hardly any water, has a long service life and is rot-proof. The pitched roofs or flat roofs of passive houses also benefit from the excellent thermal insulation of Styrodur C, which helps achieve compliance with the applicable energy-relevant standards.
With an eye towards ensuring well-balanced heat protection in all seasons, insulating material made of Neopor in the form of panels or slotted roof elements can be employed to achieve gap-free and form-fitting insulation of pitched roofs. In the summer, the areas under the roof do not become too hot and in the winter, the insulation reduces the loss of costly heating energy.
Sandwich elements and insulation panels made of the polyurethane rigid foams Elastopir and Elastopor H can be used on the roof as well as under ceilings for purposes of climate management. When it comes to roof insulation, numerous types and designs are available that offer an optimal combination of thermal, mechanical and physical properties. In the lightweight radiant cooling panels and mats on display at BASFs trade fair stand, the polyurethane rigid foams, together with gypsum boards made of Micronal PCM – a material that stores latent heat – account for active temperature equalization and a comfortable room temperature.
Floor coverings and floor insulation for many applications
Visitors to the trade fair stand can see how floors made of BASF products provide excellent support and are environmentally friendly for everyday use. Flooring for industrial and sports facilities as well as cork flooring and pressure-resistant floor panels will be on exhibit.
A recent eco-efficiency analysis shows that the new generation of cork flooring manufactured with BASFs binder Acrodur has the highest eco-efficiency in comparison to ready-made wood parquet and vinyl tiles. As a water-based acrylate binder, Acrodur is free of phenol and formaldehyde. In the future, customers will be able to recognize cork flooring made with Acrodur by the product logo on the packaging.
Selecting the right floor coating is very important in many industries in order to ensure a long service life and a safe work environment. BASF offers decorative and functional coating solutions that are tailor-made to meet specific requirements such as, for instance, high chemical resistance, high mechanical strength and electric discharge capacity, in combination with vari¬ous anti-slip steps, colors and glosses.
Sports facility flooring made with Conipur – which is a polyurethane-based coating system that has been certified by sports associations worldwide – is gentle on the joints of athletes and reduces the risk of injuries. Different colors and various degrees of hardness are available, so that these systems can be used to coat a wide variety of floorings, ranging from tracks and sport halls to playgrounds.
Pressure-resistant Styrodur C, which is foamed with air, has proven its worth for ground insulation, particularly for perimeter insulation that is in contact with the soil or with groundwater. It also plays an integral part as environmentally sound component for a passive house where, thanks to their good thermal-insulation capacity and their low water absorption, the XPS panels can be instrumental in achieving a construction free of thermal bridges.
Concrete products, prefabricated components and ready-mix concrete – from landscaping to bridge building
Bricks, paving stones, sidewalk slabs and planting enclosures can be easily manufactured and designed for a long service life when RheoFIT special aggregates are employed. These special formulations improve the quality and esthetics of concrete products and make the highly automated production more efficient. Thus, articles made with slightly moist concrete can be manufactured in large production runs and with a uniform quality. The entire service package – expressed in the Fit 4 Value concept – is being offered to manufacturers.
Glenium ACE, a high-performance superplasticiser on the basis of polycarboxyic ether, is the main component of the Zero Energy System and was specially designed for prefabricated components such as concrete slabs, steps as well as pillars and concrete furniture. The advantages of self-compacting types of BASF concrete in terms of efficient, vibration-free production are particularly effective when modern viscosity regulators are employed.
For the construction of bridges or high-rise buildings, concrete should flow smoothly and have a consistent quality without becoming segregated. BASFs viscosity regulator RheoMATRIX allows manufacturers to create a new, easy-flowing and sturdy generation of concrete with self-compacting properties that is as easy to produce as standard concrete.
Processors can turn to the high-performance superplasticiser Glenium SKY to produce ready-mix concrete that has low water-to-cement ratios, remains processable for a long period of time and exhibits early-age compressive strength. Owing to the novel mechanism, these three concrete variables can be controlled simultaneously for the first time. This yields high-quality ready-mix concrete that exhibits very good processing properties and longevity, as described in the tailor-made concept Total Performance Control.
Repair mortar from the Emaco Nanocrete product family can increase the service life of all kinds of structures even further. It provides simple and long-lasting solutions for repair work, for reprofiling, leveling and reinforcing floors, walls, ceilings and load-bearing concrete components.
Refined surfaces for steel, wood and plastics
Also in BASFs portfolio of construction products: paints and coatings for applications such as steel façade elements, house doors and rain gutters.
BASFs subsidiary BASF Coatings has now launched a third, improved generation of chromate-free primers for coil coatings onto the market. When cleaned and pre-treated steel coils are being coated, primers ensure corrosion protection and optimal adhesion of the top coats. The improved primer COILTEC Universal P CF can be harmonized with any priming procedure, it is high-yield and can be deep-drawn very well. As a homogeneous and white system solution, it is just right for smooth and structured top coats and it prevents rust formation on galvanized sheet steel. Since COILTEC can be employed for all galvanized substrates and top-coating technologies, it speeds up and simplifies production. The new top coats for façades, for example, on the basis of Plastisol, also offer many advantages to customers. For instance, they are even more weather-resistant than their predecessors and they yield long-lasting, attractive façade coatings. The top coats contain special light stabilizers and pigments that, for the most part, stem from BASF production.
A house door, coated with PermaSkin technology, is going to be exhibited at BASFs trade fair stand. Customers can see for themselves what thermoplastic high-performance films made of the weather-resistant and UV-stable plastic Luran S (ASA: acrylonitrile-styrene-acrylate copolymer) look like when applied onto wood, metal or plastic. Material-typical surface structures such as wood graining are precisely replicated by the film. This method allows multifaceted applications and works solvent-free, dispensing with the drying and hardening phases. The result is doors, window frames, façades and other building elements whose surfaces are durable and true-to-detail.
Likewise made of Luran S is the co-extruded top layer that gives rain gutters made of PVC a tightly adhering, glossy surface. This top layer provides better protection against UV radiation than PVC alone, and the system is fire-resistant up to rating B2. Luran S stands out for its durability, ease of processing, color brilliance and wide variety of colors, so that rain gutters can more easily be adapted to individual house designs.
Polymers for finishes and for the building chemicals industry
BASFs polymer dispersions, polymer powders and polymer solutions on the basis of acrylates, styrene and butadiene are used, for example, for the produc¬tion of plaster, filling compounds, roof coatings or tile adhesives and serve as binders in paints and finishes. As water-based systems, they are free of sol¬vents and thus particularly environmentally sound. Acronal S 533, for example, is an aqueous polymer dispersion on the basis of acrylate which, owing to its capabilities and ecological properties, lends itself especially well for parquet adhesives. The dispersion is odor-neutral, displays outstanding stability and good processability. Acronal S 533 is APEO-free, low-VOC and thus particularly well-suited to formulate low-emission, EC 1-certified parquet adhesives.