Towards More Sustainable Plasticizers Bauhaus-Universit?t Weimar

Towards More Sustainable Plasticizers:

To use calcium sulfate (gypsum) as a binder in screeds, organic additives like plasticizers are needed. While existing plasticizers such as polycondensates and polycarboxylate ethers have proven properties, they pose significant environmental and health risks. Therefore, eco-friendly alternatives are needed for the future. The Department of Construction Chemistry and Polymer Materials is conducting research on bio-based plasticizers in their "Gypsum Flow" project, which utilizes modified polysaccharides such as bacterial cellulose (BC). These materials not only offer a promising ecological profile but also improve safety during processing. The project is being tested under real-life conditions in collaboration with a screed manufacturer in Thuringia.

In addition, the department is preparing another project to explore more environmentally friendly plasticizers for use in cementitious systems. The goal is to modify cellulose to develop a bio-based plasticizer for clinker-reduced cements, which are increasingly used to reduce the carbon footprint in cement production. Typically, raw and residual materials like fly ash, slag, or calcined clay are used as clinker substitutes, but traditional PCE (polycarboxylate ether) and polycondensate plasticizers often show compatibility issues with these substitutes.

Developing a cellulose-based plasticizer aims to replace petrochemical-based alternatives while ensuring high dispersion performance at low water-to-cement ratios and with high amounts of clinker substitutes. The objective is to create a sustainable plasticizer that is both efficient and environmentally friendly.

The research project "Gypsum Flow – Experimental Development of Bacterial Cellulose-Based Plasticizers for Calcium Sulfate Binders," as well as the preparation of the R&D cooperation project "Bio-Based Plasticizer System for the Cement and Gypsum Industry," are co-financed by the European Union (EFRE funding).