Progressive Planet Solutions Inc (CVE:PLAN) has announced positive accelerated-cure Resistance to Chloride Ion Penetration (RCP) test results for its PozGlass SCM product.
Based on the better-than-expected accelerated-cure RCP test results, the company said its management believes the market potential for the proprietary formulation and process in the blending of natural pozzolans and recovered post-consumer glass could be larger than originally expected.
Progressive Plant said that measuring RCP is essential because permeability is a factor in the long-term durability of concrete. Lower permeability results in longer-lasting concrete because the metal rebar in the concrete is better protected from outside chemical attack. This is especially important in coastal saltwater environments, where the bulk of the world's concrete is produced, and applications where de-icing salts are used.
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The company said the 28-day accelerated-cure RCP testing was led by Dr Michael Thomas from C&CS Atlantic. He is a professor in the Department of Civil Engineering at the University of New Brunswick (UNB), a registered professional engineer in the province of New Brunswick, and has been working in the field of cement and concrete research since 1983.
"The 28-day accelerated-cure test results give an indication of the result expected at 91 days with standard curing. As such, the value of 1035 Coulombs at 28 days for the concrete mix with 25% PozGlass SCM indicates excellent performance that should comfortably meet the requirements for a C-1 exposure (1500 Coulombs at 91 days) and possibly C-XL exposure (1000 Coulombs at 91 days)," said Dr Thomas in a statement. "I am confident that the C-XL requirement would be met easily at a slightly higher replacement (such as 30% PozGlass SCM)."
Progressive Planet said the full 91-day RCP test results will be available from Dr Thomas by the end of July 2021. In addition, the six-month sulphate resistance test results will be completed in early October 2021.
The company has also received 56-day compressive strength results from Dr Thomas with strengths performing as expected. PozGlass SCM has climbed to 56.3 MPa (megapascal measures concrete strength) at 56 days, while the Portland Cement control was at 59.1 MPa.
"With 25% replacement I would expect the strength to be lower at an early age but to see more strength gain with age to the extent that strength parity is eventually reached and the pozzolan mix being superior thereafter. The precise timing of this depends mainly on the properties of the pozzolan and temperature," said Dr Thomas. "Achieving near strength parity at 56 days is quite typical of many pozzolans."
Progressive Planet said it is using the information gathered in this phase of testing to facilitate early discussions with concrete producers as the company moves towards full-scale commercialization of PozGlass SCM in western Canada and the Pacific Northwest.
"Our intent with PozGlass SCM is to radically reduce the carbon footprint of cement,” said Progressive Planet CEO Steve Harpur. “When concrete lasts longer, less Portland Cement is produced. Longer lasting concrete is a key to reducing CO2 emissions and part of our goal of building a better, cleaner world.”
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