MUNICH, Germany—Wacker Chemie is investing in its construction applications with the opening of a laboratory in Moscow for cement and concrete additives.
Specifically, the lab will look to develop water-repellent silicone additives, which can protect against moisture and salt while preventing unwanted chemical reactions in cement and concrete.
The lab, part of Wacker's "Innovation Hub for Cement and Conrete," opened Jan. 20.
The water-repellent silicone additive from Wacker is unique, the company said, as previous iterations only could be applied to the surface of cement or concrete. Wacker's innovative additive can be incorporated into the concrete or mortar mixture itself.