A rticle

Water Repellent Treatment:

Realiable Protection Against Moisture
By Wacker Chemie AG
Editor’s note: The paper was presented at the seminar on “Deterioration and Damaging of Mineral-Based Structures and
Building - The Contemporary Protection Solution” held on November 16, 2006 and is produced courtesy of IEFI Sdn Bhd.

The term “water-repellent treatment” refers to the treatment of mineral substrates, especially facades of fair-faced
masonry and concrete, with hydrophobic impregnating agents. The term “impregnating agent” is frequently
used on its own in this context, since it is considered self- evident that these agents are hydrophobic, that is,
water-repellent. By definition, however, “to impregnate” just means to saturate an absorbent material with a
low-viscosity, capillary-active liquid.

I
t follows that impregnations ‑ also
of masonry - do not necessarily
imply water-repellent treatment.
They may ser ve, for example, to
strengthen and consolidate the
masonry, or to imbue it with biocidal
properties.

In this article, however, impregnating

agents are understood to be
hydrophobic agents, that is, compounds
which confer water repellency on
mineral substrates.

The purpose of water- repellent

treatment is to protect exposed facades forming agent which prevents capillary the impregnating agent does not block
from moisture and attendant damage uptake of water and the aggressive the capillaries, the substrate retains its
by applying a colourless, non-film- substances dissolved therein. Because vapour permeability.

MOISTURE:
ABSORPTION BY MASONRY AND RESULTING DAMAGE

The mechanisms of water uptake by building materials are as varied as

the possible forms of damage to the building. This chapter deals with the
mechanisms of capillary water uptake, condensation, and hygroscopic
water uptake, as well as the consequences for t he building fabric.

W
hen mineral building materials
come into contact with water,
they absorb an amount which
depends on their porosity. The result is
various forms of damage, including:
● Penetration of moisture through
the wall
● Cracks caused by swelling
and shrinkage
● Damage caused by frost and
de icing salt
● Destruction of concrete caused by
corrosion of the reinforcing steel
● Efflorescence and salt damage
caused by hydration and by fungi, moss, lichens and algae
crystallization ● Chemical corrosion, e. g. binder
● Lime leaching transformation caused by acidic
● Rust stains and curtaining gases (SO2, NO2 )
● Dirt pick up and curtaining Attack ● Impaired thermal insulation

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Many of these forms of damage can
be prevented, or at least reduced or
kept at bay for longer, by means of
impregnation. Creation of a water-
repellent zone considerably reduces
the uptake of water and aggressive
substances; the masonry remains dryer,
and is consequently less prone to the
kinds of damage referred to above.
However, this is only true of capillary
water uptake, which is the "natural"
water uptake by building materials
when they come into contact with
water - when a facade is exposed to
rain, for example. There are various
mechanisms of water absorption
other than capillary water uptake, and
Stone fabric damaged by the effects of salt
and moisture.
Algal growth on exposed construction
elements with a high moisture content.
these include condensation, capillary
condensation, and hygroscopic water
uptake.
Capillary Water Uptake
Capillary water uptake is responsible
for the penetration of large volumes
of water into the building material
within a short time. The amount of
water absorbed depends primarily on
the radius of the capillary pores in the
building material. There are three pore
categories:
Micropores have a radius of less than
10 -7 m, gel pores less than 10 -8 m.
These small pores do not permit
capillary water transport. Water can
only penetrate these pore spaces in the
form of vapou r. Consequently, building
materials in which micropores dominate
are practically impervious to water
penetration by capillary action. They are
likewise difficult to impregnate, since
the water repellents cannot penetrate
into these pores, either.
Pores with a radius of between 10-7 m
and 10-4 m are referred to as macropores
or capillary pores. These pores support
capillary action, and are able to transport
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water and other liquids in the building
material to a degree dependent on
their capillarity. Building materials with
a high proportion of such pores are
generally well suited for impregnation
with water repellents.
Air pores, as the third pore category,
have a radius exceeding 10 - 4 m.
These large pores, like micropores,
are unsuitable for capillary water
transport.
Capillary water absorption by mineral
building materials is usually according
to the “square-root-of-time law.” If
water absorption W is plotted against
the square root of the time t, a straight
line is obtained, at least for the initial
phase of capillary absorption. The
gradient is referred to as the water-
absorption coefficient, or often just as
the w value: Strictly speaking, the water
absorption coefficient w describes
the rate of capillar y absorption
characteristic of a particular building
material, but it is frequently used as a
measure of the capillary absorbency of
building materials in general. The water
absorption coefficient is determined as
per ISO 52617.
Fig. 1 shows characteristic water-
absorption curves for different building
materials. The w values range from 0.15
kg/m2h 0.5 for the very dense bridge
concrete to 11.5 kg/m2h0.5 for the highly
absorbent brick.
A rticle
Hygroscopic Water Absorption
The presence of soluble salts increases
the equilibrium moisture content of
building materials due to the salts’
WATER REPELLENTS:
A SURE GUARANTEE OF A COMFORTABLE AMBIENCE
Unlike the various film-forming coatings, building materials that have
been treated with a water repellent retain their vapour permeability.
This is because organosilicon water repellents do not seal the pores at
the surface of the mineral masonry substrate, but form a very thin layer
on the pore walls. Siliconized pores are no longer wetted by water, and
capillary water uptake is prevented.
I
t may be concluded from the above
comments about the various water-
uptake mechanisms that provided
the building material has pores which
do permit capillary action, or the salt
content - at least in the surface zone - is
not excessively high, capillary moisture
absorption without doubt poses the
most serious problem. In this case,
water-repellent treatment is certainly
one of the best ways to protect the
masonry from moisture damage.
Water repellents need to fulfill the
following requirements:
● Drastic reduction in water uptake
-Retention of high water-vapour
permeability
● Extensive penetration -Adequate
resistance to alkalis
● Resistance to UV light
● Surfaces not rendered shiny or tacky,
or caused to yellow
● Environmental compatibility
Unlike film-forming coatings, such as
those based on acrylic, polyurethane
or epoxy resins, organosilicon water
repellents do not seal the pores at the
surface of mineral masonry, but simply
form a very thin layer on the pore walls
(Fig. 2).
Water can no longer penetrate in liquid
form into capillaries that have been
hygroscopicity, i.e. their ability to
attract water vapour. The extent of
this hygroscopic moisture absorption
is determine d primarily by the
chemical nature of the salts, by their
A mineral surface with (a) a hydrophobic
impregnation, (b) filled pores, and (c) a
sealant film.
rendered water-repellent, since, as
a polar liquid, it is unable to interact
with a non-polar, hydrophobic surface.
In other words, pores which have
been siliconized and are therefore
hydrophobic can no longer be wetted
by water. The degree of wetting can
Wetting of a hydrophilic porous surface
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concentration in the masonry, and by
the moisture content of the ambient
air. Hygroscopic water absorption is
especially serious when nitrates are
present in the masonry.
be determined quantitatively as the
contact angle θ.
Untreated surfaces of mineral building
materials are wetted immediately by
water, i. e. the drops of water spread
out and are rapidly absorbed by the
building material (Fig. 3a). If the same
building material is treated with an
impregnating agent, the drops of water
are repelled in the form of beads and
do not penetrate into the substrate
(Fig. 3b).
Water Vapour Can Diffuse
Since the pores in hydrophobically
treated masonry remain open, the
building material retains its vapour
permeabilit y, or “breathabilit y.”
Accordingly, the passage of water
vapour is impaired only slightly, if at
all. This is of great importance, since
moisture contained in the building
material can diffuse to the outside
in the form of water vapour without
causing any damage, e.g. blistering and
subsequent spalling, which frequently
occur with thick surface coatings.
Wetting of a hydrophobic porous surface
A rticle

Water under Pressure is a Problem
Ground water can be a serious problem
in cellars, as can driving rain for highly
exposed facades. The larger the pores
in the building material are, the greater
the problem. Since the pores are open,
a water-repellent treatment obviously
cannot always protect a building
material from ground water or driving
rain. However, properly applied water
repellents are perfectly sufficient
to render many standard building
materials, such as sand-lime brick,
clinker brick and plasters, resistant
even to driving rain with velocities of
100 km/h and more. “Properly applied”
in this context means, for example,
that the water repellent produces a
hydrophobic zone which is not merely
superficial but extends to a good
depth.
The water repellent must accordingly
be formulated such as to allow
ma x imum p e netr atio n into the
building material. Only then can the
effectiveness of the hydrophobic
impregnation be guaranteed for years
or even decades.

SILICONE RESINS:
RELIABLE VEHICLES OF WATER REPELLENCY

The close structural similarity between fully cured silicone resins and
natural quartz is the reason for the high affinity of silicone resins for
silicate building materials, and for the exceptional durability of surfaces
treated with these resins. Silicone resins boast excellent water repellency,
and are completely resistant to many chemical, physical and biological
influences.

O
rganosilicon compounds have
been recognized for over 40
years as the ideal active agents
for the hydrophobic impregnation of
absorbent mineral building materials.
However, it is not the ubiquitous silicone
rubbers (joint sealants) and silicone
fluids (release agents and lubricants)
that are used in masonry protection,
but the third important category of
silicones - silicone resins.
Silicone resins are three-dimensionally
cross-linked polymers with a silicon
and oxygen backbone. The silicon
atoms carry organic groups R and
functional groups OR’ (usually, R is a
methyl group and R’an ethyl group)
(Fig. 4). The resins range from liquid
to solid depending on the degree of
curing, the molecular weight and the
kind of functional group (Fig. 5). They
are soluble in organic solvents such as Crosslinked silicone resin bonded to a
white spirit or alcohols. substrate.
When applied to the building material,
these silicone resins react with water,
the remaining alkoxy groups being
split off, to form a three-dimensional,
densely cross-linked polysiloxane
which is firmly attached to the building
material by way of covalent Si-O-Si
bonds (Fig. 6).
A comparison of the mole cular
structure of a fully cured silicone
Molecular structure of fully cured silicone
resin (Fig. 7a) with that of natural resin.
quar t z ( Fig. 7b) makes the close
resemblance clear. The fully cured
silicone resin can be regarded as

Molecular structure of silicone resins. Consistency of solid silicone resins. Molecular structure of quartz.

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a quartz structure that has been
modified with organic groups. This
close structural resemblance is the
reason for the high affinity of silicone
resins for silicate building materials,
and for the exceptional durability of
the water-repellent treatment.
The organic group R confers
excellent water repellenc y on
the silicone resins. Since they
are also f ully resis t ant to many
chemical,physical and biological
inf luences,the resins water-
re p e l l e nt p ro p e r t y is g e n e r a l l y
maintained for decades,provided
that the water-repellent treatment
is carried out properly,i.e. provided
that the right amount of the right
product for the substrate is applied,
and that the concentration of active
agent is high enough.

SILANES AND SILOXANES:

STABLE COMPOUNDS

The ultimate aim of all hydrophobic impregnations is to guarantee are oligomeric alkylalkoxy siloxanes
effective masonry protection for as long as possible. This goal was not derived therefrom.
always achieved with the organic-solvent based silicone resins frequently
used in the past, or with water-based methyl siliconates. Today, silanes Resistance to Alkalis - a Criterion of
and siloxanes form the basis of modern water repellents. They can be Durability
incorporated easily in a large variety of products, and have outstanding
properties. The second most important discovery
on the way to developing today’s

W
hen silicone masonr y
protection was in its infancy,
there were two main sorts of
water repellents, namely solutions of
silicone resins in organic solvents, and
methyl siliconates in water.
Silicone Resin Solutions
and Siliconates
Solutions of silicone resins are only
of minor importance today as water
repellents. On account of their relatively
high molecular weight, they do not
penetrate deeply enough into dense
building materials. Under alkaline
conditions, standard silicone resins are
broken open and methyl siliconates are
formed. These are water-soluble and are
leached out of the facade by rain (Fig. 8).
The silicone resin, along with the water
repellency it confers on the substrate,
thus dwindles with time. Aqueous
solutions of potassium methyl siliconate
(CH3-Si(OH)2O-K+) are frequently used
for in-plant impregnation of building
materials of fired clay and fibrous
gypsum. Alkali carbonates are formed
as by-products.
However, siliconates are no longer used
for impregnating facades because
they are apt to form a white deposit.
The poor degree of penetration and
insufficient resistance of silicone resin
solutions to alkalis prompted the
search for alternative active agents
back in the mid 1970s.
Silanes and Siloxanes
Better penetration is achieved by
using low-molecular rather than
high-molecular compounds. This
discovery marked the birth of water-
repellent agents based on silanes
and siloxanes. As is evident from the
chemical formulae (Fig. 9), the silanes,
on closer examination, are monomeric
alkyltrialkoxy silanes, and the siloxanes
highly effective water repellents was
how to influence the resistance of the
active agent to alkalis through use of
the appropriate organic group R. If R
is always a methyl group, the reaction
of Fig. 8, in the presence of alkali, will
eventually lead to a complete loss of
hydrophobicity. But if longer-chain
organic groups are used in place of
methyl groups, the reaction of Fig. 8
can still proceed, even though this is
not easy for steric reasons. However,
the resulting siliconate becomes
increasingly water-insoluble as the
length of the R group lengthens, thus
preventing the siliconate from being
leached out by rain. In consequence,
the degradation reaction is suppressed,
and the active agent remains in the
form of a silicone resin network on
the masonry.
The iso-octyl group has proved to
be particularly suitable. Silanes and
siloxanes with iso-octyl groups are
readily available, can be incorporated
in a large number of products and
exhibit outstanding properties. Water
repellents frequently contain a mixture
of silicone components with short-
chain methyl and long-chain iso-octyl
groups.

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Silane and Siloxane Blends
In this way, it is possible to formulate
water repellents that are customized in
terms of properties such as penetration
power, resistance to alkalis, water-
beading, etc. A water repellent for
concrete will require, for example,
more silane and more long-chain
organic groups than a product used
to impregnate sandstone or brick.
Whereas concrete is usually very dense
and highly alkaline, sandstone and
brick are absorbent and more or less
neutral.
Specialty Products for Maximum
Effectiveness
There is a whole range of building
materials with properties between
those of concrete and sandstone
or brick. These materials include
limestones and sand-lime brick ,
clinker brick, mineral-based plasters
and paints, aerated concrete, fiber-
re i nf o rce d co n cre te, a n d ma ny
oth e r s . I t is th us i m p o r t a nt to
have balanced, general-purpose
products, i. e. impregnating agents
that are acceptably effective on all
standard substrates. Where maximum
effectiveness for a particular substrate
is desired, silanes and siloxanes may
be suitably blended to formulate a
specialty product.

CUSTOMIZED RATHER THAN STANDARDIZED

ACTIVE-AGENT CONCENTRATIONS

A standard solution will not be able to confer maximum water repellency on are only used if there is any risk of the
every type of building material, as each material has different properties. water repellentís coming into contact
Whatever the substrate, whether high-grade concrete or absorbent during application with plastics or paints
brickwork, the right impregnating agent in the right concentration is that are attacked by petroleum ether.
always needed. Impregnating agents may be used in concentrations Otherwise, low-odour, dearomatized
ranging from highly diluted to undiluted. Among the diluted products, white spirit or synthetic iso-paraffins
aqueous water repellents are becoming increasingly important. are the most commonly used solvents.
Care must be taken that whenever
solvents are used, these are, if possible,

T
he depth to which the active
ingredient of an impregnating
agent penetrates is directly
dependent on the concentration of
the active ingredient. The more a
product is diluted, the less able it is to
penetrate into the building material
and fully occupy the walls of the pores
and capillaries so as to prevent them
from absorbing water. The capillary
absorbency of building materials, for
their part, varies enormously. If, for
example, a vertical bridge-concrete
surface is saturated with water repellent
by flooding, the high-grade concrete
will absorb 80-100 g/m2 at the most. An
absorbent brick or sandstone facade,
by contrast, will easily take up ten
times this amount under the same
conditions. To ensure that the active
agent penetrates to an acceptable depth
into the low-absorbency concrete, it is
thus necessary to use a much more
concentrated product than for the
more absorbent sandstone or brick.
In practice, use is made of undiluted
silanes or silane/ siloxane mixtures to
render concrete water-repellent, while
for natural-stone facades it is common
to use products containing only 5-10 %
active agent.
Silanes and Siloxanes in Solution
In keeping with their hydrophobic
nature, silanes and siloxanes are soluble
to an almost unlimited extent in organic
solvents. Since, however, contrary to
widespread opinion, silicone active
agents penetrate into the pores of
building materials better when dissolved
in petroleum ether than in alcohols such
as ethanol and 2-propanol, the latter
anhydrous. The current trend is definitely
toward solvent-free, that is, water-based
products.
SILRES ® BS SMK – A Triumph over
Difficulties
The f irst break through was the
development of silicone microemulsion
concentrates (sold under the name
SILRES ® BS SMK).
Silicone microemulsion concentrates are
solvent-free mixtures of silanes,siloxanes
and silicone surfactants, which, on
dilution with water,yield ready-to-use
silicone microemulsions.
The advantage offered by these products
results from the nature of the surfactants
(emulsifiers and co-emulsifiers), which
only function temporarily as such;
once the water repellent has been
applied to the building material,they
transform into hydrophobic active-

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agent components. If the particle sizes
of emulsions and microemulsions
(Figs.10a and b) are compared, it is
clear that microemulsions, on account
of the vastly greater particle surface
area,will require considerably more
emulsifier than emulsions.The use of
conventional surfactants would impair
the hydrophobicity.
The great advantage of SILRES ® BS
SMK products,apart from their being
water-dilutable and easy to handle,is
the fact that they come in concentrated
form. This makes for smaller container
sizes, greatly reduces transport,storage
and waste-disposal costs and lessens
environmental impact.
A disadvantage of SMK technology,
however, is that the microemulsions
have to be used within 24 hours of
diluting them. Their appearance does
not change in days or even weeks,but
the alkoxysilanes and alkoxysiloxanes
in the micropar ticles hydroly ze
and polymerize to an increasing
extent,making it harder and harder for
the active agents to penetrate into the
building materials.
Impregnating Agents in the
Form of Emulsions
Aside from the product classes already
mentioned, there are silane/siloxane
GENERAL-PURPOSE AND SPECIALTY PRODUCTS:
SOLUTIONS FOR EVERY APPLICATION
Wacker Chemie AG offers both long-established water repellents and new,
innovative masonry protection agents. Our product spectrum includes both
general-purpose water repellents and specialty products for concrete.
W
acker Chemie AG has been
intensively researching and
developing silicone masonry
protection agents for some 50 years. A
large number of products have been
developed during this time, many of
which are still in use.
Comparison of emulsion (a) and silicone
microemulsion (b)particle size.
emulsions which boast both dilution
and storage stability. These emulsions
are diluted with water in a ratio of 1:4
to 1:9, the exact ratio depending on
the type of substrate and the extent of
water repellency required.
The problem of using emulsions
for impregnations, however, as was
explained before, is that, if the products
are to have properties comparable
to those of conventional solvent-
thinned impregnating agents, only
low-molecular alkylalkoxy silanes and
siloxanes are suited as active agents. But
these silanes and siloxanes react with
moisture, and therefore special tricks
are needed to stabilize them.
The key to success lies primarily in
the correct choice of emulsifiers, in
However, the constant development
of new water repellents necessitated
streamlining the product portfolio and
adapting it to today’s requirements.
The outcome of these measures is a
clearly organised product spectrum
comprising the t wo categories :
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adjusting the pH to the optimum
value, and in the chemical nature and
thus the reactivity of the active agents.
It is advisable, for example, to employ
ethoxy silanes and siloxanes rather
than their methoxy counterparts,
as the former hydroly ze far less
quickly. The reactivity is, moreover,
largely dependent on the nature of
the organic group attached to the
silicone: long-chain groups, such as
the iso-octyl group, drastically reduce
the tendency of silanes and siloxanes
to hydrolyze.
Impregnating Cream
Unlike all other water repellents,
impregnating agents in the form of
cream may be applied without wastage
even during overhead work.
SILRES® BS creams are best applied
using airless equipment, with which
up to 400 g/m≤ may be applied in a
single operation.
The impregnating cream penetrates
completely into the substrate within
a period of some minutes to some
hours; the exact time required will
depend on the amount applied.
Ver y high depths of penetration
are achieved due to the long time
the cream is in contact with the
construction material.
“general-purpose water repellents”
and “specialty products for concrete.”
General-purpose products are defined
as those impregnating agents which, in
principle, confer good water repellency
on a large variety of very different
mineral substrates, ranging from
highly alkaline, dense concrete to
neutral, absorbent brick and natural
stone.
A rticle

Specialty products for concrete, by

contrast, are those products that confer
long-term protection on high-grade
reinforced concrete of the type used in
bridge building. These products must
be able to penetrate extensively into the
building material, even into very dense
concrete, and they must show excellent
resistance to attack by alkalis.

Table 1 contains a survey of the various

products, their properties, and their
fields of application.

General-Purpose Water Repellents

The best-known and most frequently

used water repellent is SILRES® BS
290. When used in the recommended
concentrations of 1:11 to 1:15 (parts
by weight), it produces excellent
results on almost all absorbent
mineral substrates. Particularly worth
mentioning are its resistance to alkalis,
its good penetration power and its
outstanding beading effect. For many
types of natural stone, in particular,
there is to date still no alternative
to SILRES® BS 290. The hydrophobic
silicone resin network forms within
a few hours, even on non-alkaline
substrates. SILRES® BS SMK 1311 is a
well-established, aqueous alternative
to solvent-thinned products, and is
suitable for a wide variety of building
materials, e. g. sand-lime brick, bricks
and mineral plaster. It should be
diluted in a ratio of 1:10 to 1:14 to
suit the substrate in question. By
virtue of its autocatalytic behavior,
SILRES® BS SMK 1311 reacts to form
the hydrophobic silicone resin just as
quickly as SILRES® BS 290.
However, on many types of natural
stone, including sandstone, limestone
and stone containing clay mineral, the

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effectiveness of the aqueous product
may differ markedly from that of
SILRES® BS 290. Before treating a large
area of masonry, therefore, it is a good
idea to check the effectiveness of the
water repellent on a test area. Like all
silicone microemulsion concentrates,
SILRES® BS 1311 should only be diluted
with tap water on the day it is to be
processed.
Another of the general-purpose water
repellents, SILRES® BS 1001, is a 50%
silane/siloxane emulsion that is diluted
with water to suit the consistency of
the substrate in question. Before the
emulsion is diluted and applied, it is
advisable to stir it briefly so as to ensure
that it is homogeneous. SILRES® BS
1001 rapidly confers discernible water
repellency on the building material,
although the active agent takes a few
days to some weeks to form completely.
The exact length of time will depend on
the alkalinity of the substrate.
Since the emulsion breaks once it has
been applied, and there is a pronounced
beading effect as soon as the water has
evaporated, the amount of active agent
leached out by rain during the relatively
long curing period is negligible. Like all
aqueous products based on alkylalkoxy
silanes and siloxanes, SILRES® BS 1001 is
markedly less effective on some types
of natural stone, especially limestone,
than, for instance, solvent-thinned
SILRES® BS 290. It is therefore always
essential to check its effectiveness on
a test surface.
Specialty Products For Concrete
SILRES® BS 1701 is a 100% silane-based
impregnating agent that is used to
confer water repellency on concrete
and reinforced concrete. It is usually
applied to the concrete by flooding
(wet on wet) at least twice in undiluted
form. Of course, this water repellent
may be diluted with organic solvents
or alcohols in any mixing ratio desired.
It should be remembered, however,
Chloride migration in concrete (strength class C35/45)
Untreated specimens and those treated with SILRES® BS Creme C
Specimens conditioned for 10 days in 10% NaCl solution
that the more a given quantity of water
repellent is diluted, the less deep the
active agent will penetrate. Because
of its iso-octyl silane groups, SILRES®
BS 1701 is much less volatile than
other commercial silanes. However,
under certain conditions, evaporation
may cause some loss of active agent.
This happens most frequently when
the concrete is old, of low alkalinity,
and is hot and dry at the surface
due to exposure to the sun. In such
cases it is advisable to resort to an
aqueous product, in particular to the
impregnating cream described below.
SI LR E S® SM K 2101 is similar in
composition to SILRES® SMK 1311, but
contains substantially more iso-octyl
silane. This enhances its penetration
power and resistance to alkalis. When
SILRES® SMK 2101 is used to treat
reinforced concrete, it should be diluted
with water in a ratio of 1:4. Like all
silicone microemulsions, the diluted
product ought to be used on the same
day it is mixed. SILRES® SMK 2101 is
also especially suitable as a primer for
concrete coatings.
Unlike all the other products listed
in Table 1, SILRES® BS Creme C is not
a liquid. Its thixotropic consistency
makes it possible to apply the product
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without wastage even when working
overhead. SILRES® BS Creme C is best
applied using airless equipment, with
which up to 400 g/m2 may be applied
in a single operation. Such quantities
often cannot be applied even in three
operations when conventional low-
viscosity products are used on high-
grade concrete. The impregnating
agent penetrates completely into
the concrete within a period of some
minutes to some hours, the exact
time depending on the quality of
impregnating agent applied. No
visible traces of the cream are left on
the surface, and very great depths of
penetration can be achieved.
Thank s to the ver y pronounced
penetration depth of several mm,
even concrete with a damage d
surface (cracks, spalling) is adequately
protected. Tests have confirmed that
a hydrophobic impregnation not only
protects the concrete from moisture,
but also minimizes pollutant ingress
into the concrete. In test samples of
treated masonry, chloride uptake is
superficial only.
In untreated building material, by
contrast, considerable concentrations
of chloride are detectable even at a
depth of 4 mm (Fig. 11).
A rticle
WACKER WATER REPELLENTS FOR
MAXIMUM EFFECTIVENESS
The most important criteria which water repellents must satisfy are
reduction in water uptake, penetration by the hydrophobic active agent,
permeability to gas and water vapor and a beading effect. In the following
section, these requirements will be described in more detail, and the
effectiveness of the WACKER products compared on the basis thereof.
Capillary Water Uptake
T
he most important requirement
which a water repellent must
fulfill is a significant reduction
in capillary water uptake. A common
specification is that the amount of
water absorbed by a building material
during 24 hours’ immersion in water be
reduced by at least 80 %.
Depth of Penetration
In order that the reduced tendency
to absorb water may be long-lasting,
it is obviously not sufficient if the
water-repellent effect is limited to the
surface of the building material. It is
essential that the hydrophobic zone
extend deep below the surface, but
it is difficult to give a general answer
to the frequently-asked question as
to exactly how deep. Of course, from
a technical point of view, there is
nothing against striving for maximum
possible penetration, but it must be
remembered that this is only achieved
by applying a large quantity of active
agent, which incurs high costs. For
many substrates, a penetration depth
in the order of a few millimeters is
technically adequate and economically
acceptable.
Beading Effect
The third important criterion which
water repellents must satisfy is the
production of a beading effect. This
effect is measured objectively by
means of the contact angle Θ. The
following classification is often used:
The Effectiveness of WACKER Products
Tables 4a and 4b show test results for
water uptake, beading and penetration
depth of various products applied to
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1st Quarter 2007
different substrates. White spirit with
a low aromatics content was used
as diluent for the solvent-thinnable
products, and normal tap water for the
aqueous products. All substrates were
impregnated by means of immersion
(immersion times: 1 minute for mortar
and concrete, 5 minutes for all other
substrates).
The quantities of impregnating agent
absorbed correspond approximately
to the amounts absorbed when
the products are applied to vertical
surfaces by flooding in two wet-on-wet
operations.
Water absorption was determined 14
days after impregnation, again by way
of immersion (specimens were covered
with 5 cm of water, in accordance with
EN 12859). This method was chosen
because the hydrostatic pressure
exerted by the covering of water
simulates, to a certain extent, the
effect of driving rain, making the
procedure more realistic than the
sponge immersion test described
in ISO 15148, in which only capillary
absorption is measured.
To determine the penetration depth, a
specimen of each product was broken
14 days after impregnation and dyed
water was dripped onto the fracture
surface. The hydrophobic zone is not
wetted by the dyed water.
Gas Permeability
The term “gas permeability”, when used
in the context of water repellents, refers
primarily to the impregnated structure’s
permeability to water vapour and
carbon dioxide.
Water-vapour permeability is essential
for allowing any moisture beneath
A
rticle

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A rticle
the surface to dry. It is determined
as follows, in accordance with ISO
7783-2: a sample of the substrate
is cemente d ab ove a s atur ate d
salt solution contained in a cup.
The salt solution provides for a
constant and very specific relative
humidity within the cup. In line with
the recommendation given in the
standard, frequent use is made of
ammonium dihydrogen phosphate,
with which a relative humidity of
precisely 93% is obtained. The cup
is kept under standard conditions at
23°C and 50% humidity. By weighing
it repeatedly over a period of several
days, it is possible to determine how
much water vapor diffuses through
the substrate. Since the surface area
of the substrate is known, the water-
vapour permeability, WVP, can be
calculated in [g/m2d]. Table 3 shows
the water-vapour permeability of
sand-lime brick specimens (diameter:
90 mm, thickness: 5 mm).
The liquid products SILRES® BS 290,
SILRES® BS SMK 1311 and SILRES®
BS 1001 were applied by immersion
(immersion time: 5 minutes), and
SILRES® BS Creme was applied by
STONE STRENGTHENING WITH ETHYL SILICATES
As long ago as the 19th century, it was suggested that ethyl silicates might be useful for consolidating, i.e.
strengthening, stone. However, it is only in the last 30 years that this idea has been taken up. Several thousand
objects have since been restored with ethyl silicates, bearing witness to their enduring effectiveness.
Untreated sand
brush. Once the WVP measurements
had been completed, the test discs
were broken and the penetration
depths determined. In all of the
specimens, the hydrophobic zone
extended through the entire thickness
of the disc.
As Table 3 shows, the impregnating
agents reduced the water vapour
permeability by less than 20 % , in
spite of the fact that the specimens
had been rendered hydrophobic
throughout their entire thickness,
and that sand-lime brick is a relatively
dense substrate. In the case of coarse-
pored building materials, e.g. many
kinds of brick s, mineral plasters
and aerated concrete, there is no
measurable impairment of water-
vapour permeability whatsoever.
Permeability to carbon dioxide is
necessary in order that carbonated
substrates may achieve their ultimate
s tre ngth . D e te r mining whe the r
carbonation is af fected by water
repellents is most easily done by
measuring the depth of carbonation
in treated and untreated lime
mor t ar sp e cimens . To this end,
phenolphthalein solution is trickled
Fully cured Stone Strengthener
SILRES® BS OH 100
96
1st Quarter 2007
onto the specimen. On account of
their high pH, zones which have
yet to undergo carbonation show
up red, while carbonated zones
are colorless. It is generally correct
to say that silane /siloxane-based
water repellents neither hinder nor
promote the carbonation reaction.
Coatability
T he question of ten arises as to
whether building material surfaces
that have b e en rendere d water
repellent can be overpainted. This
question is answered automatically
when one recalls that the same
products as the impregnating agents
discussed here, or similar ones, are also
recommended specifically as water-
repellent primers for protective coats
on facades. Facades that have been
rendered water-repellent can easily
be overpainted with all paints that
contain wetting agents, e.g. silicone
resin emulsion paints, emulsion
paints and silicate emulsion paints.
Wetting and adhesion difficulties
are only encountered, as would be
expected, with purely mineral-based
coatings such as whitewash.
Sandstone consolidated with Stone
Strengthener SILRES® BS OH 100
A rticle

Principles of Stone Conservation Stone strengtheners based on ethyl condensed ethyl silicates and is
silicates meet these requirements best. solvent-free. A neutral, organo -

I
n stone conser vation, the This is why modern stone conservation m e t a l l i c co n d e ns at i o n c at a l y s t
microstructure of the deteriorated uses this class of products almost to the controls the reaction between the
stone is stabilized through exclusion of others. ethyl silicate and the moisture in the
the introduc tion of binder. This stone such that the reaction proceeds
strengthening measure is generally WACKER Stone Strengthener at the optimal rate. Gel precipitation
co m b i n e d w i t h a hy d r o p h o b i c is 32 % , but may be adjusted to a
impregnation to protect against WACKER currently offers the stone lower value if desired, for example
further deterioration. The products strengthener SILRES® BS OH 100. It by addition of anhydrous solvent
used to conser ve the stone are contains a blend of different pre- (Fig. 13).
impre gnating agent s which are
applied liberally so as to saturate the
building material. Once applied, the
impregnating agent reacts with the
water in the capillary pores to form
a silica-gel-based mineral binder
(SiO2 aq).

How stone strengthener reacts

The binder stabilizes the building

material by way of covalent Si-O-Si
bonds.

On the basis of today’s knowledge,

a stone conservation agent
should meet the following
requirements:

● Deposition of fresh, weather-

resistant binder
● Good depth of penetration into
Scanning electron micrographs Scanning electron micrographs
the stone, at least down to the after consolidation
before consolidation
undeterio rated core
● No crust formation but, rather,
a build up of a uniform strength
profile through the cross-section
of the stone
● No formation of harmful, salt-like
by-products
● No discolouration of the
stone surface
● No modification or impairment of
important physical properties of
the stone. This applies in particular
to water-vapour permeability and
to thermal and hygric behaviour.
● Optimization of physical
properties such as tensile adhesive
strength. Gel precipitation by SILRES® BS OH 1300 stone strengthener.

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A rticle
STONE STRENGTHENERS AT WORK
Processing
St o n e s t r e n g t h e n e r s b a s e d o n
ethyl silcates are generally applied
by spraying or flooding. Movable
par ts may also be treated by
immersing them in a bath. In special
c as es , co mp ress es c a n b e us e d
to ensure a maximum period of
contact between the stone and the
strengthener.
Important notes
● Freshly treated surfaces must be
covered for two to three days to
protect them against rain.
● Considerable loss of the active
ingredient by evaporation may
occur at temperatures exceeding
25°C. At such temperatures, the
freshly consolidated sur faces
have to be protec ted against
direct sunlight.
● Processing temperatures below
5°C cause the stone strengthener
to react very slowly. This may
result in discolouration or glaze
on the surface.
● The time needed for deposition
of the silica gel depends on
the relative humidity and the
te mp e r ature. T h e re fo re, it is
advis ab l e to wait for a we e k
before carrying out any further
restoration work on freshly
strengthened sections. This will
allow 90-95% of the ethyl silicate
to be precipitated. It takes from
one to at most three weeks for
deposition to be completed.
● O n n o a cco unt sh o ul d w ate r
be added to the ethyl silicate
preparation in an attempt to
speed up the reaction. This can
cause extensive surface glazing
that is extremely difficult, if not
impossible, to remove.
Cross-section through deteriorated
sandstone and hardness prof iles
demonstrating successful and unsuccessful
consolidation.
The Significance of
Penetration Depth
The success of stone conservation
hinges largely on the depth to which
the conservation agent penetrates
into the stone. In any event, the stone
strengthener silicate sandstone must
penetrate through the weathered
zone and replenish the depleted
binder levels with fresh binder. After
treatment, the consolidated zone
Moais on Easter Island
98
1st Quarter 2007
should not be stronger than the
undeteriorated, intact core of the
stone. Otherwise crusts may form
that can cause the surface zone to
undergo slate-like cleavage.
Fig. 14 illustrates crust formation
and the hardness prof iles for
successful and unsuccessful stone
consolidation work. The likelihood
of a poor hardness prof ile can
practically be eliminated by perform
ing preliminary tests to ascertain
the amount of material needed, the
penetration depth and the required
gel deposition rate.
Applications
St o n e s t r e n g t h e n e r s b a s e d o n
ethyl silicates are highly suitable
for consolidating absorbent silicate
sandstone, calcareous and porous
t u f f. S u i t a b i l i t y t e s t s m u s t b e
per formed in advance when the
stone consists of pure limestone or
is a swellable sandstone containing
clay minerals. Outstanding results are
obtained with all ceramic, absorbent
construction materials, such as bricks,
roofing tiles and terracotta.
A rticle

LONG-TERM STUDIES:
WELL-KNOWN REFERENCE OBJECTS

Select examples whose importance makes them familiar beyond in 1995, neither the strengthener
Germany’s borders serve to illustrate how silicone resins, the active agents nor the water repellent showed any
on which all established organosilicon water repellents are based, are able reduction in effectiveness.
to protect buildings against water and attendant damage for decades by
virtue of their chemical, physical and biological stability. Another well-known example of both
natural-stone and concrete repair and

R
eference objects vividly
demonstrate their successful
performance in the field of
building maintenance. Provided that
use is made of the correct products,
that these products are prepared and
applied properly, and that their water-
repellent effectiveness is understood
and assessed in the correct sense,
i.e. as a reduction in capillary water
uptake and not just as a superficial
beading effect which is lost relatively
quickly, long-term protection can be
guaranteed.
Munich’s Alte Pinakothek - restoration
and preservation of natural stone.
There are numerous structures which
today provide the best proof that
impregnations, given the correct
choice of product and its professional
application - are able to fulfill their
function as a means of protecting
buildings and building materials
against the uptake of moisture and
aggressive substances for at least 20
years. Examples to be found in Munich
are the Olympic Village, whose white-
concrete curtain walls were treated in
1972 with a product similar to todayís
SILRES® BS 290, and the Alte Pinakothek,
on which, in 1975, the first test surfaces
were treated with stone strengthener
and subsequently with water repellent.
When these surfaces were re-examined
The Olympic
Village in
Munich - in-
plant concrete
impregnation.
preservation is the Kaiser-Wilhelm
Memorial Church in Berlin. With the
help of WACKER masonry protection
agents, the ruins of the old church and
the concrete structure which is the new
church were repaired at the beginning
of the 1980s and preserved with water
repellents. Successfully, as a recent
follow-up examination showed!
O ne of the oldes t e xamples of
a building that underwent water-
repellent treatment with organosilicon
compounds, although less well-known
than those mentioned so far, is certainly
just as informative:
On WACKER’s production premises in
Burghausen, there is a small building
with a lime-finish facade fully exposed
to the weather. In 1954, a test area was
treated with methyl siliconate, today’s
SILRES® BS 16. Even today, more than
50 years later, the water repellency is
clearly recognizable when the surface
is sprayed with water.
In the Karstens tube test, the untreated
plaster absorbs 5 ml of water in 10
minutes, while the water-repellent
surface absorbs practically nothing
- an amazing finding after more than
50 years!

These examples go to prove that

silicone resins, the active agents on
which all established organosilicon
water repellents are based, are able
to protect buildings and structures
Lime-finish surface Testing the same lime-finish surface for water against water and attendant damage
impregnated with methyl repellency by the Karstens tube method, in 1997. for decades thanks to their excellent
siliconate, in 1954. chemical and physical stability.

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