Michael Polhuis
Cooperative AVEBE u.a., Netherlands
Title: Elucidation of starch ether anti-slip mechanism in ceramic tile adhesives using focused beam reflectance measurements and rheometry of cement pastes
Biography
Biography: Michael Polhuis
Abstract
Starch derivatives find application in cement-based construction materials. In the case of ceramic tile adhesives (CTA’s), specific kinds of modified starches are instrumental in imparting good anti-slip behavior. Using cement pastes as model systems, the influence of starch ether concentration on suspension rheological properties have been examined using focused beam reflectance measurements (FBRM) and controlled shear rate rheometry with a specialized geometry for construction materials. FBRM provides information on changes in cement particle size distributions as a function of starch ether concentration, which in turn can be correlated to relevant rheological parameters, in this instance the yield value in particular. The results can best be interpreted as polymer bridging flocculation being the mechanism by which such specific starch derivatives are responsible for the origin of anti-slip properties in CTA’s.