PRESS RELEASE: Another Tool for Your MCI® Concrete Maintenance/Repair Kit!

Water repellents play an important role in concrete maintenance and corrosion protection by blocking out certain corrosives and keeping in Migrating Corrosion Inhibitors. Because water repellents are sometimes applied alone or in conjunction with other concrete surface treatments, Cortec® has recently expanded its MCI® portfolio to include MCI®-2018 X, a 100% silane penetrating water repellent for concrete surfaces.

CONCRETE MAINTENANCE

Water Repellent for Concrete

MCI®-2018 X is MCI®-2018 minus the Migrating Corrosion Inhibitors. Its primary function is to line concrete substrate pores with a hydrophobic layer that reduces the ingress of moisture, chlorides, and carbonation, thus extending the service life of the structure. If applied after a penetrating SACI (surface applied corrosion inhibitor), MCI®-2018 X prolongs the protection period of the corrosion inhibitor. MCI®-2018 X allows the surface to stay fully breathable and retain its original appearance.

Solving the SACI/Water Repellent Dilemma

In the past, MCI® customers sometimes faced the dilemma of whether to apply MCI®-2020 to get the highest concentration of MCI® SACIs on the market or whether to take advantage of the benefits of the two-in-one MCI®– 2018 water repellent with a lower concentration of Migrating Corrosion Inhibitors. While an even better option was to apply MCI®-2018 on top of MCI®-2020 for maximum protection, this could easily fall outside the project scope and budget. Now, if MCI® users want the high concentration of MCI®-2020 with only a water repellent on top, they can order MCI®-2018 X along with MCI®-2020 and be done with their search for a supplementary product.

When and Where to Use MCI®-2018 X

MCI®-2018 X can be used for routine maintenance every 5-10 years or used as part of the finishing touches to a concrete repair. Because it does not change the substrate’s appearance, MCI®-2018 X is a great option for historical restorations. As a silane water repellent, MCI®-2018 X has smaller molecules and adsorbs better into concrete than siloxane blends that can cause puddling, making MCI®-2018 X better for areas where slippage is a concern (e.g., steps, parking garage floors, and bridge decks). Other target applications include commercial buildings, tunnels, jetties/piers, and offshore oil platforms (non-submerged applications). MCI®-2018 X is also a good option for contractors who do not want to or need to pay extra for a corrosion inhibitor because their only purpose is to repel water on brick or stone surfaces that do not have underlying metal reinforcement.

How to Apply MCI®-2018 X

MCI®-2018 X can be applied by spray, roll, or brush to a clean concrete surface with a CSP 1-3 surface profile (per ICRI guidelines). As noted, MCI®-2020 may be applied first for additional corrosion protection. After a repair, fresh concrete should be allowed to cure 28 days before application of MCI®-2018 X. A dry surface is preferred for maximum penetration, although the second coat of MCI®-2018 X should be applied wet-on-wet over the first coat for best results.

A Customized Approach to Concrete Protection

The addition of MCI®-2018 X to the Cortec® portfolio helps contractors take a more customized approach to their selection of MCI® concrete surface treatments by adding a stand-alone water repellent to their concrete maintenance/repair kit. Used alone or in conjunction with MCI®-2020, MCI®-2018 X may be the logical choice to meet certain project protection and budget parameters. Contact Cortec® if you need more help deciding which concrete surface treatment combination is best for your next job.

Keywords: concrete maintenance, concrete repair, Migrating Corrosion Inhibitors, From Grey to Green, concrete water repellent, surface applied corrosion inhibitors, Cortec MCI, historical restoration, concrete protection, concrete breathability 

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NEWS ALERT: New MCI® Admixture Brochure for New Year!

MCI® admixture brochureCortec® is pleased to present a new MCI® admixture brochure for a new year. With its fresh look and updated content, this brochure is an excellent way to give specifying engineers, ready mixers, and contractors a new perspective on inhibiting corrosion in reinforced concrete for the 2024 construction season!

Thoughtful Revisions

In addition to new graphics that show our latest MCI® admixture dispensing units and highlight the use of MCI®in The Sustainability Pavilion in Dubai, updated text focuses on the “what,” “how,” and “why” of concrete corrosion and the MCI® approach to mitigation. Thoughtful revisions by Cortec’s technical and marketing team seek to simplify and logically present the basics of MCI® admixtures. The brochure closes with an updated product selection guide that showcases the new MCI® Grenade XL for 5 yd³ (3.8 m³) of ready mix.

MCI® Admixture Advantages

As the brochure implies, MCI® admixtures are important for new structures because, once built, structures become more difficult to protect from corrosion. If added to the concrete batch, MCI® admixtures can inhibit corrosion without significantly increasing construction costs. They are dosed independently of expected chloride levels and are much less complicated than cathodic protection systems. Classified as mixed inhibitors, they affect both anodic and cathodic portions of a corrosion cell when they migrate to steel and form a protective molecular layer.

A Path to Sustainable Structures

Reinforced concrete will continue to play a significant role in the construction industry even as engineers look for better approaches to sustainability. MCI® admixtures will therefore be an important resource to extend the service life of those structures. Equip yourself with practical solutions for construction projects in the new year by taking a closer look at our new MCI® admixture brochure today!

Keywords: concrete admixtures, MCI, Cortec MCI, From Grey to Green, advantages of MCI, sustainable construction, amine carboxylate admixture, construction industry, solutions for ready-mixers, specifying engineers

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PRESS RELEASE: Preserving Capital Spares: A Strategy for Concrete-Coated Pipelines

Subsea oil and gas pipelines are frequently constructed by joining concrete-coated segments together. During construction, concrete-coated pipe may sit for six months to several years before installation. Capital spares are often ordered at the same time as the initial pipes but with a designed preservation life measured in decades of idle time. To ensure that these capital spares do not deteriorate prematurely, Cortec® shares several technologies and tips for preserving concrete-coated pipes from corrosion.

Concrete-coated pipelines

Challenges of Protecting Concrete-Coated Spares

Subsea pipe spares are often stored near the coast due to material handling difficulties. An incredibly long storage period and an aggressive environment combine to pose a frequently overlooked risk for long-term integrity. Although the concrete coating will initially protect the outside of each steel pipe segment, the concrete will absorb moisture, chlorides, and carbon dioxide over time, eventually leading to corrosion. Extreme temperature swings and sporadic inspection intervals can exacerbate the problem. To complicate matters, the concrete coating makes it difficult to access and treat the OD (outer diameter) of the steel pipe.

Migrating Corrosion Inhibitors to the Rescue

Migrating Corrosion Inhibitor™ (MCI®) Technology is typically used to protect reinforcing metals embedded in concrete because of its ability to travel through concrete pores to reach the surface of the underlying metal. The same mechanism makes MCI® suitable for protecting the metal pipe OD of concrete-coated pipe. Migrating Corrosion Inhibitors applied to the outside of the concrete pipe can gradually migrate as much as several inches into the concrete to form a protective anticorrosive molecular layer on the steel OD.

When to Preserve Capital Spares

Preservation of spare concrete-coated pipes should be done as soon as possible. Any delay gives moisture and chlorides a chance to start attacking the concrete and steel. Although preservation can be done later, additional rust removal and cleaning may be needed by then. In worst case scenarios, preservation may be neglected so long that corrosion compromises the integrity of pipe segments and new ones must be purchased, defeating the purpose of capital spares.

Protecting the Outer Diameter

If integrity is confirmed and surfaces are clean, the concrete surface may be treated with MCI®-2020. This topical solution has the highest concentration of Migrating Corrosion Inhibitors compared to other surface applied corrosion inhibitors (SACIs) on the market. For further protection, a water repellent can be added to hinder the entrance of additional moisture and chlorides while trapping the MCI® inside. Alternatively, MCI®-2018, which contains MCI® in a 100% silane water repellent, can be used alone or (for maximum protection) in conjunction with MCI®-2020. Both MCI®-2020 and MCI®-2018 are certified to meet ANSI/NSF Standard 61 for use in drinking water system components, making them attractive for those laying pipeline in environmentally protected waters where dangerous leachates are a concern for sea life. 

Pipe Ends and Inner Diameter

Often, several inches on each end of a subsea pipe are not coated with concrete. Here, MCI® CorShield® can be applied to protect the exposed metal. This water-based removable coating provides excellent protection in unsheltered outdoor environments and cures to a soft non tacky film that eventually hardens. If the capital spares need to be installed, the coating can be removed with an alkaline cleaner, if desired.

The inner diameter (ID) of the pipeline segment should also be protected by fogging it with CorroLogic® Fogging Fluid VpCI®-339. This chemistry is similar to MCI® and migrates through void spaces to form a molecular protective layer that remains as long as the void stays closed. To meet this requirement and keep debris out, workers should cap the ends of each pipe segment with a material such as MilCorr® VpCI® Shrink Film, a heavy duty plastic that also contains corrosion inhibitors. Once this is done, the spares can be left alone and checked once or twice a year.

Keep Your Capital Spares On-Call

Even though the need to install concrete-coated pipe spares may be unpredictable, these capital spares should remain on-call for emergency or routine replacement. Proper preservation helps oil and gas companies do so, keeping pipeline segments ready to use on short notice. Contact Cortec® to learn more about preservation of oil and gas capital spares with MCI®.

Keywords: capital spares, preserving concrete coated pipeline, subsea pipelines, Cortec, Cortec MCI, Migrating Corrosion Inhibitors, pipeline corrosion, pipeline storage, oil and gas spares, concrete weight coating

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