The Green Development Path of New Building Materials
Release Time:
2015-07-23
Source:
The Green Development Path of New Building Materials
At the beginning of the new century, construction sites across China were typically characterized by the deafening roar of machinery, clouds of dust billowing everywhere, and pedestrians hurriedly covering their noses as they rushed past. On sites with adequate resources, water was continuously sprayed to keep the ground moist, requiring substantial investments of both manpower and material resources. This issue has also drawn domestic attention: how can we identify a pathway for the application of building materials that is both easy to implement and environmentally friendly? Many challenges still need to be addressed. With the emergence of new Building materials With the development of the industry, green and sustainable development in the construction sector has become a topic of widespread concern.
Dry-mix mortar refers to a granular or powdered material composed of dried and screened aggregates (such as quartz sand), inorganic cementitious binders (such as cement), and additives (such as polymers) blended in specific proportions. It is typically delivered to construction sites in bagged or bulk form and can be used directly after mixing with water. In the construction industry, dry-mix mortar efficiently performs functions such as masonry, bonding, bedding, protection, and decoration, making it widely employed in both structural and finishing works. To achieve green building practices, energy consumption must first be reduced; the most effective way to do this is to ensure superior thermal insulation performance of walls. Meanwhile, aesthetic requirements for buildings are continually rising: for tile cladding to adhere securely, an appropriate adhesive must be selected—ideally one that can be manufactured in a factory and simply mixed with water on site before use.
The composition of dry-mix mortar can range from three to more than twenty components. However, the most basic formulations invariably include cementitious binders, aggregates, and admixtures. Cementitious binders encompass both inorganic types—such as cement, lime, and gypsum—and organic types, including dispersed latex powders and water-soluble polyvinyl alcohol. Aggregates comprise natural sand and manufactured sand, while mineral admixtures include fly ash, silica fume, slag powder, and limestone powder, among others; chemical admixtures include cellulose ethers, starch ethers, set regulators, water reducers, and air-entraining agents. The performance of dry-mix mortar is primarily determined by its composition: inorganic (or organic) cementitious binders serve mainly as the binding agent; aggregates provide structural support (and sometimes enhance aesthetic appeal); mineral admixtures improve workability, and both play crucial roles in maintaining volumetric stability; chemical admixtures enhance the physical properties of the mortar and also significantly influence its hardened-state performance. Products include inorganic thermal-insulation mortar systems and their accompanying mortars, adhesive, skim coat mortar, and decorative mortar for insulated-panel systems, as well as high-quality interface primers, tile adhesives, grouts, waterproof mortars, self-leveling mortars, repair mortars, grouting materials, interior and exterior wall putties, and specialized masonry and plastering mortars. The mechanisms by which key polymeric materials—such as cellulose ethers and redispersible latex powders—function in dry-mix mortar have laid a theoretical foundation for product development and technological innovation in this field; moreover, a systematic framework has been established that elucidates the interrelationships among five critical factors—material composition (structure), production process, performance, service efficiency, and environmental compatibility—for various dry-mix mortar formulations, thereby providing a scientific basis for systematized product development and green manufacturing.
The construction industry is one of the indispensable sectors in our daily lives, and its green development will deliver a higher-quality living environment for us.
