PMC Metallic Stearates for Building and Construction

PMC Biogenix metallic stearates can improve the durability and longevity of building and construction materials when exposed to harsh weather and extreme environments. The industrial importance of metallic soaps can be credited to their natural feedstock of fatty acid derivatives and various processing benefits. These long-chain fatty acids are made up of different valencies from the highest quality of natural feedstocks to offer formulators outstanding performance properties. 

With the rapidly growing demand for sustainable, safe, and durable plastics, elastomers, paints, coatings, lubricants, and cement used in the infrastructure and building industry, metallic stearates (oleochemicals) can fill the demand for evolving environmentally friendly restrictions. Furthermore, PMC Biogenix provides a variety of metallic stearate grades that impart outstanding performance properties to complex infrastructures. 

Calcium Stearates

PMC Biogenix's portfolio of calcium stearates is experiencing significant demand growth due to physiological safety and insolubility in most solvents. Calcium stearates are important to cement manufacturers because they act as a water-repellant layer along the capillary pores of the concrete. Ion penetration and moisture greatly affect concrete's durability for building and construction end uses. Hydrophobic agents such as calcium stearate are added to cement, mortar, terrazzo, and ceramic tiles to block water ingress and aggressive ions that eventually break down hardened concrete. Calcium salt has extreme temperature stability, which can benefit thermoplastics used in construction by offering improved color stability, transparency, and resistance to weatherability. Calcium stearates offer release properties for rubber, plastic, metal, and ceramic construction applications. 

Featured Grade

Calcium Stearate FG is a fine-grind powder form that provides hydrophobic properties for manufacturing various building and construction materials that require long-term protection and inhibition of moisture absorption.

Aluminum Stearates

Aluminum stearate salts are derived from distilled hydrogenated fatty acids. PMC Biogenix offers three combinations of aluminum with fatty acids, referred to as aluminum mono-, di-, or tri-stearate. These three aluminum stearate grades provide different properties, such as gelling, free fatty acid, and melting points. In construction manufacturing, lubricating oils can benefit from thickener properties from aluminum tri-stearates and di-stearates. 

 Greases and oils utilizing aluminum stearates as a thickening additive experience hydrophobic properties and excellent adhesion to metal surfaces. Because of aluminum stearates' hydrophobic nature, building materials and coatings find a use for this stearic acid as a water-repellence additive. Aluminum stearates also have outstanding benefits for coating formulators as a pigment-wetting and suspension agent by improving the control of film penetration and preventing sag and flattening. Solvent-based paints, enamels, varnishes, and lacquers can benefit from aluminum stearates as each grade offers different solubility and improvement to the flow of nonpolar organic fluids. 

Lithium Stearates

Lithium stearate is a lithium salt of stearic acid from animal or vegetable sources. They exhibit exceptional swelling and thickening properties for synthetic oils and lubricants. Metallurgy molds requiring lightweight characteristics can benefit from lithium stearates as they are resistant to water and offer a low and high range of temperature capabilities. 

 

Featured Grade

Lithium Stearate PM grade is designed for formulators of lubricants, greases, and powdered metal applications. Formulators can benefit from thickening capabilities, high-temperature strength, and binding properties. 

Zinc Stearates

Zinc stearates offer mold-releasing properties as lubricant and dispersing agents for plastic and rubber manufacturers. In building and construction applications, zinc stearates also provide outstanding mold-release properties to metal casting and, more specifically, powder metallurgy. Zinc stearate spreads quickly onto metal surfaces and has high heat capabilities, making it an effective metal mold release agent. Furthermore, zinc stearates offer hydrophobic waterproofing properties for plaster building materials. 

Summary 

Metallic stearates play an essential role in the future of infrastructure and the building and construction industry. With new sustainable legislation initiatives and evolving consumer expectations, the paradigm has shifted towards green developments and sustainable feedstocks. With their outstanding properties and naturally derived sources, metallic stearates can fulfill the need for sustainable solutions for infrastructure materials. Talk to an expert today if you are interested in learning more about which metallic stearate grade works best for your formulation.