Culminal™ UP & Culminal™ FS Modified Cellulose Ethers: Excellent Solutions for Improving Strength

As Ashland, we are a strong and passionate solution-providing company that develops practical, innovative and excellent solutions with the aim of creating cement-based, high-quality ceramic adhesives; constantly pushing the boundaries of what is possible and working to increase the competitive strength of our customers in the construction sector. For this purpose, to provide you with solutions, we have developed two new product groups containing modified methylcellulose derivatives for use in cement-based high-quality ceramic adhesives; Culminal ™ UP and Culminal™ FS. (The properties and performance of these products are clearly defined in EN 12004/ISO 13007 and also ANSI 118.x standards).

Culminal ™ UP (Superior Performance) What is it Used For?

Cement-based ceramic adhesives contain many raw materials that have a negative effect on the cement hydration process and can delay strength development (sometimes significantly). Culminal ™ UP was designed by Ashland's research and development specialists to significantly reduce the effect of cellulose ether on strength development, improve the important properties of ceramic adhesives and provide additional safety in normal and lightweight formulations. The main advantages provided by Culminal ™ UP, unlike commonly used methylcellulose thickeners, are summarized below.

Culminal ™ UP Has Minor Impact on Cement Hydration

Traditional modified and unmodified methylcellulose derivatives can delay cement hydration and the required early strength development process. To overcome this, setting accelerators (such as calcium formate) are usually required to be added. This way sufficient strength is reached earlier to complete the process at the fastest pace; time is money.

Culminal ™ UP Can Be Used for Different Purposes:

a) When used together with setting accelerators, to help accelerate and improve early and final strength development, b) To reduce or eliminate the use of setting accelerators when the setting profile of the existing formulation is acceptable, c) To improve the carbon footprint of the final product by using composite cements (e.g. CEM II, CEM III) instead of CEM I cement. Culminal™ UP is available in multiple types at different viscosities and different degrees of modification depending on final product requirements such as water requirement, fillers used, sag resistance and desired workability.

Culminal™ UP is Suitable for Lightweight Formulations

As is known, efforts are being made to reduce the weight of ceramic adhesives and provide perfect adhesion and strength development with the minimum amount of adhesive possible. This requires that in formulations using high amounts of lightweight fillers and having high water requirements, sag resistance under heavy conditions be tightly controlled, while at the same time providing rapid strength development, high final tensile and shear bond strength and excellent workability. Culminal™ UP products were designed precisely for this purpose and generally give you confidence that all properties of ceramic adhesives will be provided at high levels under many different conditions.

Culminal™ FS Modified Cellulose Ethers for Fast-Setting Triple Systems

The special Culminal™ FS (Fast Setting) new product series was designed for triple binder systems (high aluminate cement/portland cement/gypsum) that require very rapid strength development completion. Culminal™ FS was designed to support a single-solution approach by eliminating the need for additional thickener systems such as organoclay and starch ethers. Culminal™ FS products for ceramic adhesives based on triple binder systems enable the manufacture of a single ceramic adhesive for floor and wall tiles (horizontal and vertical) using a single formulation. Culminal FS provides excellent sag resistance for vertical applications without the need for additional rheology agents. Additionally, using the same formula with only water dosage changed, it can also be used to secure ceramics applied horizontally in areas requiring limited sag resistance and excellent adhesive transfer.

About Ashland

Ashland's industrial specialty chemicals business consists of five market-focused units: Paints and coatings, adhesives, construction, energy and performance specialties. The products they manufacture are used in various sectors including construction materials, packaging, tapes, labels, engineered wood products, oil and gas production, printing, textiles, metalworking, batteries, electronics, etc. Our products are used in manufacturing and processing processes in these markets. Additionally, they are also used in product formulations aimed at improving the usability or effectiveness of the final product for customers. Our customers benefit from advanced product integrity provided with consistently high quality, naturally sourced components that are less harmful to the environment compared to competitors. Our solution-producing team can usually also help our customers manufacture their products more profitably. Finally, end-users – processors or end consumers – benefit from more effective, easier to use, more environmentally compatible and more attractive products. For your solution needs in the Turkish market, please contact IMCD Türkiye. Author: Torsten Busch Construction Division Regional Leader Ashland     Compiled by: Hasan Oral Paints and Construction Chemicals Division Technical Sales Manager IMCD Türkiye