Ecological Sand / aggregate limiting biological growth for paving stone grouting

Authors: dr Artur Miros, dr hab. inż. Ireneusz Baic, prof. dr hab. inż. Wiesław Kozioł, mgr inż. Katarzyna Biel

Company/Faculty/School: Łukasiewicz Research Network – Institute of Mechanised Construction and Rock Mining

Country: Poland

e-mail: imb@imbigs.pl

web page: www.imbigs.pl

The subject of the invention is sand / aggregate intended for filling grouting in external pavements, used in construction to protect against biological fouling in pavements, especially in pavements made of slabs or blocks and paving elements.

The object of the invention is to solve the technical problem of fouling grouting in pavements made of boards or stones and paving elements, which is burdensome for users and is not effectively solved by applying protective agents against the growth of plants and fungi on the outer surface of the grouting. The main idea of the invention is that it contains an impregnation consisting of an aqueous solution with the addition of a hydrophobic agent and nanoparticles (nanozinc and nanoparticles). The main advantage of the invention is effective prevention of biological fouling of grouting in external pavements, even at the lowest mass concentrations of a hydrophobic agent, as well as nanozinc and nano-copper, especially when using an aggregate impregnation before filling the gaps in the pavement made of slabs or paving stones. The additional advantage of the invention is the effective prevention of biological fouling in the entire volume of grouting, and not only in the upper, outer layer of the joint material. The advantages of the inventions are achieved through the use of a hydrophobic agent in them, which hinders the penetration of water by the aggregate grains, reduces its water absorption and shortens the time of exposure of the aggregate to water, thus significantly reducing the time of maintaining conditions conducive to biological fouling. Moreover, the hydrophobic agent causes the sand / aggregate to dry faster and at the same time protects the nano-metal compounds against leaching, increasing the durability of the protection against biological fouling. On the other hand, the main factors contained in the sand / aggregate impregnation and on the entire surface of the sand / aggregate itself, which hinder the development of, among others, fungi, lichens, moss or weeds, and thus prevent biological fouling, are nanometals – nanozinc and nanomercury, as well as nanosilver.