2. Micro-Profiled embedded silica concrete ~ “silica stacking™”

3. The concept
Concrete is porous. It has millions of microscopic pores and micro channel voids.
Utilizing reactive Colloidal Nano Silica chemistry; these reactions form cementitious compounds within the microscopic pores and micro channels that harden and densify the substrate.
This next generation of unique properties will produce a high-appearance, harder, more abrasion resistant, dust proof, lower cost and easier to maintain substrate than the traditional densifiers with silicates.

4. All concrete substrates have surface profile, microscopic pores & micro-channel voids.
SEM Concrete Magnification x25, nm
SEM Concrete Magnification x5, µm
SEM Microscopic void in concrete

5. Conventional Silicates

6. Conventional silicate densifiers, including sodium, potassium & lithium silicates become chemically reactive once they come in contact with calcium silicate hydrates (CSH) however they are only able to penetrate the top 1/16” to 1/8” of the concrete surface due to their larger particle/molecule size.

7. Conventional Silicates
Have less reactive- sites therefore do not penetrate as much surface area.
Have larger particle size, therefore not allowing to penetrate as deeply into the concrete matrix.
Silicate densifiers have higher viscosity and contain large amounts of mineral salts, there- fore presenting risks of leaving tightly bonded discolorations on the surface, a problem called “whiting.”
These compounds are highly caustic, with a pH of 11 to 13, similar to the alkalinity of lime itself.

8. Colloidal Nano Silica
New Generation Technology

9. Colloidal Nano Silica
Nano Silica has an extremely fine particle size of 5nm and are spherical in shape.
Have very low surface tension and carries particles well below the surface.
Have more proportional reactive-sites than silicates therefore they form chemical bonds more quickly.
Can readily penetrate the slab’s pore structure and reach depths of up to about 6.4 mm (0.25in.)

10. Colloidal Nano Silica
Concrete contains naturally occurring silica and because silica bonds best to itself it is able to build more density and strength in the substrate.
Colloidal Nano Silica is 99.5% pure silica so residual deposits (‘whiting’) are not an issue.
Colloidal silica chemistry provides the ability to build-up (‘Silica Stacking™’) & continues densifying concrete substrates over time, creating harder, longer lasting, lower maintenance floors.

11. Nano Silica Particles SEM Magnification X200,000 100nm

12. . Visibility to the Human Eye >50µm Pollen 10 to 100 µm Human Hair
Pet Dander
0.5 to 2.5µm .
Nano Silica
5 to 8nm .
Viruses
30 to 40nm
Dust Mite Allergen
6 to 10µm
Bacteria
0.03 to 1µm
Visibility to the Human Eye >50µm

13. Billions of the 5nm nano silica spheres penetrate into the substrate’s microscopic pores and microchannels quickly and deeply while also creating new CSH (calcium silica hydrate) that bonds to the existing CSH.
Colloidal silica also bonds directly to ‘other’ silica, including itself.
When applied to concrete it reacts, bonds and then uses that bonded silica as a platform for additional bonding.

14. Maximum Refinement What is Maximum Refinement?
The point in time when the diamond tool has refined the surface to the degree to which it no longer cuts or cuts very little under its current weight and variables.

15. When you are getting “maximum refinement?”
HOW DO YOU KNOW…
When you are getting “maximum refinement?”
A standard way to measure “Maximum Refinement” is to watch the dust that is produced to see when it becomes less. Suggesting that the tooling isn’t cutting as much anymore.
If the floor was polished as specified?

16. Quantitative Standard on measuring roughness average (Ra).
ST-115 Standard
Measuring Concrete Micro Surface Texture
ST-115 to be used in conjunction with all polishing specifications in the industry to correctly audit the polishing process and ensure that concrete floors are being refined to their maximum potential.
To date, ST-115 is the only tool I know of that offers the design community quantifiable, scientific, and perhaps most importantly, repeatable results.
Scientific Means and Methods to Produce Quantifiable Repeatable Results

17. Contact Stylus Instrument
Testing + Evaluation
Profilometer
Surface Roughness Tester
Contact Stylus Instrument
Using a profilometer you are able to test the concrete surface profile. This eliminates the ‘guessing game’ of what is actually being done to the concrete at each step.
ST-115 in its simplest of definitions is like a tape measure.
It establishes a repeatable process that dictates how you measure a concrete substrate to obtain Ra (roughness average) numbers.
By measuring the roughness or smoothness of the finished floor you will be able to ‘quantify’ your results!

18. Contact Stylus Instrument
Quantifying the geometric irregularities of a mechanically refined floor at various levels provides a way to describe the exact means and methods to produce the floor the architect or owner asked for in the first place.
On concrete, these surface profile measurements can tell how the surface was processed as well as how it was finished. Waviness, lay and process direction are all part of the aggregate measurements that determine the Ra numbers.
Ra: roughness average; surface texture value measured in microinches (µin).

19. Eliminate the ‘Guessing Game’
Minimizes inappropriate shifting of blame onto others for a failure in the polishing contractors scope of work.
Utilizing Silex products and monitoring with a profilometer on mechanically refined slabs can tell how the surface was processed as well as how it was finished.
It also gives ammunition when there are issues outside the polishing contractors scope of work that need to be fixed and paid for.
Each level of Silex engineered diamonds creates distinct scratch patterns contributing in being the only polishing system within the industry today that will attain quantifiable and consistent results.
We meter the floor for Ra numbers before troweling/grinding process begins, during, and after each step to verify the proper profile or refinement is being produced.
Typically one test of 8 readings in a ' x 1' area per 1,000 ft2 is required. Smaller areas or slabs with different finishes may require additional testing.

20. A: They don’t! Q: How do they really know what they are doing?
The most important step not being utilized is TESTING substrates after each process or pass.
Without testing you are blind, which is where the majority of the industry is today.
The only testing being used; eyeballing the gloss or DOI Meter at the end.
“Grit” is often used to rate gloss values of polished concrete floors. It’s been the main method for communicating design intent for well over a decade. While the term “grit” is a common and even useful reference to describe gloss levels, it has not been able to precisely define the polish level on any proven, acceptable, repeatable scale.
DOI meters---- …..gloss levels shouldn’t be a matter of opinion, but should be based on measurable, quantifiable standards
A Question of Reflectivity I'm not saying light meters or distinction of image (DOI) meters are useless. On the contrary, they are important tools and I include their use in my specifications, but they have limitations. A light meter can tell you how much light a floor reflects, but it can’t tell you why that light is being reflected. Is it reading a true diamond-polished concrete floor? Or is it reading a clear-coat epoxy or acrylic sealed floor?
A DOI meter can tell you how sharply an image is reflected in the floor, but again, it can’t tell you if the floor is actually polished to spec.
An architect, for example, walks through a facility, conducting a punch-list inspection. She sees the concrete floor has a shine and the DOI or gloss meter numbers line up with the specification. She still has no way to verify that the concrete floor is polished to the level she specified and for which the client paid.
Is the floor glossy because it was polished as specified? Was the floor polished as specified, but the gloss is not what the architect expected? Was the floor not polished as specified, but a glossy coating was applied to hit the gloss or DOI meter numbers?
By measuring the roughness or smoothness of the finished floor as described in ST 115, the CSDA standard looks to answer these questions.
Just because it looks “shiny” does not mean that it will perform.
Inferior products & tooling.
Many unnecessary steps being done.
Not documenting the Ra measurements of the geometrical scratch patterns, you will not produce a fully refined polished floor to their ‘maximum potential’, therefore negatively impacting the performance and longevity, resulting in not meeting &/or exceeding specifications.

21. Side-by-Side Comparison Conventional Densified Floor
REFINED FLOORS
Side-by-Side Comparison
Conventional Densified Floor
vs.
SILEX Densified Floor
The materials, diamonds, testing and proper equipment when utilized together will produce successful refined polished floors that are extremely durable and finally, quantified and repeatable.

22. Conventional Densified Floor
Dry Polished
SASE Grinder
Double Seg. 80’s & 150’s
Lithium Densifier
Stain & Dye
SASE Swoop Resins 50 – 1500
Guard
Dry Polished in 2009
Gloss Reading: 50 which would be an accepted measurement to meet most specifications.
Floor has a moderate amount of foot traffic directly from the exterior sidewalk.
Has been cleaned with a mop for maintenance.

23. The following slide is the same floor utilizing a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM); 140 separate images stitched together.
The stitched image shows an 1/8" x 1/8" area of the substrate’s surface.
*Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) is a type of microscope that produces images of a sample by scanning it with a focused beam of electrons.
Utilizing a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), it produces images allowing the capability to view microscopic damages to the substrate’s topography and composition in nanometer (nm) magnifications.

24. Aesthetically the finished floor looks great from the ‘human eye’.
The microscopic surface was shattered by the dry polishing; diamonds & chemical products being used.
There was no way to actually see or understand what had been done.
Having this detailed visibility provides documented proof of how damaged substrates become vulnerable for contaminants and stains; allowing them to penetrate the surface along with dirt particles and grime that can build up to further damage the floor surface.

25. SILEX Densified Floor Wet Polished SASE Grinder Silex Armour Glide
Silex Black H Series Diamonds
Silex Armour Hard Colloidal Densifier
Silex Armour Renew Guard
Ra testings were taken after each process.
These Ra measurements provide us with the scientific knowledge of when to move to the next step.
Floor completed in early Summer 2016 using the complete Silex System.
Silex Concrete Polishing System

26. The following slide is the same floor utilizing a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM); 140 separate images stitched together.
The stitched image shows an 1/8" x 1/8" area of the substrate’s surface.
Ra measurements were taken during and after each grinding process to verify the proper profile/refinement was being produced before moving onto the next step.
Silica is continually added throughout the process; “Silica Stacking™”

27. The surface is much smoother and closed.
A SILEX polished slab looks extremely different at the same magnification and proves a very different substrate topography and composition.
The surface is much smoother and closed.

28. “Silica Stacking™”
Reactive colloidal silica bonds directly to itself and when applied to concrete, it reacts, bonds then uses the bonded silica as a platform for additional bonding.

29. The Silex Concrete Polishing System produces proven QUANTIFIABLE & REPEATABLE results when all products, techniques and steps are followed.