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JUNO XP™ — Technology that makes Portland Cement ...
In the presence of moisture and Portland Cement, JUNO XP™ chemically reacts with calcium hydroxide to form compounds having cementitious properties. Until now, the development of a consistent, high performing alternative supplemental cementitious material (ASCM) was met with mixed results. Surface Tech has succeeded in developing a product that increases the strength-bearing microstructure of concrete. JUNO XP™ raises the bar.
JUNO XP™ combines pozzolanic and mineral components in an innovative dry additive that improves the efficiency of Portland cement in soil cements. JUNO XP™ densifies the hydrated matrix, producing soil cement that has a higher strength per pound of cementitious material. This unique mineral composition ensures higher unconfined compressive strengths, leading to soil cements with expanded performance characteristics at a lower cost to produce.
As JUNO XP™ is mixed into soil cements, it consumes calcium hydroxide to produce more calcium-silicate-hydrate (C-S-H), which densifies the soil cement matrix and increases the strength. Fibril-like mineral structures within JUNO XP™ also increase the toughness of the hydrated cementitious matrix.
Several important breakthroughs have been achieved with JUNO XP™. For one, soil cements with JUNO XP™ achieve the required performance at a much lower cost, a major benefit for government budgets strained by cutbacks due to COVID-19. In essence, JUNO XP™ provides more strength and a longer life service life for a much lower cost.
JUNO XP™ also provides key environmental benefits. Since traditional cement production accounts for 88% of the emissions associated with the average concrete mix, JUNO XP™ provides a way to offset this pollution as well as a means to achieve LEED credits and an improved carbon footprint for projects. Reduction of cement in mix designs can help contribute to earning LEED credits.
For more information on specific applications that can benefit from JUNO XP™ and its capabilities, contact us.
A Guide to Durable Concrete Using SCMs/ASCMs
CONCRETE 101 webinar:
Tues. May 19, 2020 – 1pm EDT
With fly ash and quality aggregates in short supply, the challenge to find alternative binder materials is leading the industry to discover new, cutting-edge solutions. This webinar will provide the basics of concrete as well as an overview on how various binders assist in making locally sourced aggregates workable while making concrete more economical, durable and green.
Hosted by Surface Tech, the webinar features Kevin MacDonald Ph.D., PE, P.Eng, FACI, principal of Beton Consulting Engineers, LLC and the acting CTO of concrete for Surface Tech. Kevin will provide an educational session focused on key concepts and available binder materials that make concrete stronger and last longer.
Join us as John McConahy, Corporate Sales Director for Surface Tech, moderates this informative Concrete 101 webinar that will review the basics, and how Supplemental Cementitious Materials (SCMs) and Alternative Supplemental Cementitious Materials (ASCMs) lead to performance-based and durable concrete solutions.
The two-hour webinar allows time for Q&A from the audience. Two PDH Credits are available for attending. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.
JUNO XP to challenge brutal Colorado winters
Field test on residential mix paves the way for improved cold weather resistance
Ready-mix providers throughout Colorado face daunting challenges when creating residential concrete placements. Damage caused by freeze-thaw cycles, de-icing salts and excessive use can spell big trouble if the concrete fails to hold up under Colorado’s brutal winters. Homeowners generally hold concrete providers responsible if slabs, driveways, sidewalks and other residential placements don’t last through the first winter without change from shrinkage, cracking or surface deterioration.
JUNO XP’s reputation for increasing toughness and durability convinced one Colorado ready-mix provider to put it to a test. The residential mix specifications, shown in Table 1, required a designed compressive strength of 4,000 psi and 4.5 to 6.5 percent entrained air for freeze-thaw mitigation. It also needed to achieve a slump of four to six inches.
Table 2 details the fresh properties of the mix. Preliminary results show that JUNO XP maintained strength as well as slump and air entrainment properties, even though it reduced the amount of traditional cement in the mix. Moreover, JUNO XP also reduced the ready-mix provider’s cost for the mix, while still meeting specifications for compressive strength of C39 -3, -7, for 28-days. (See Figure 2 for Comparative Strengths.)
“With JUNO XP, we succeeded in setting up a concrete surface that we believe will maintain durability against freeze-thaw and de-icing salt attack,” said Jon Belkowitz, Surface Tech’s chief technical officer for concrete. “JUNO XP also delivered an enhanced concrete finish and improved roadside appeal.” (See Figures 1 and 4 for photo results of shrinkage and moisture loss on the test slabs.)
JUNO XP is an alternative supplementary cementitious material (ASCM) developed by Surface Tech to increase the toughness and durability of concrete, making it stronger and last longer. The Colorado residential test will continue to be monitored over the coming year. Find more information about JUNO XP here.
Table 1 – Concrete Mix Designs Evaluated
|
Materials
|
3000, EXT, FLT WORK | |||
| REF | JUNO XP RPL 22% | JUNO XP RPL 35% | ||
| Lb Per C. Yard
|
HOLCIM Type I-II | 432 | 329 | 300 |
| Fly Ash F | 108 | 115 | 101 | |
| Juno XP | 0 | 10 | 17 | |
| LGE # 57 / 67 | 1351 | 1377 | 1390 | |
| LGE #8 | 322 | 348 | 361 | |
| Concrete Sand | 1366 | 1392 | 1405 | |
| Water | 245 | 240 | 238 | |
| (gal Per C. Yard) | (29) | (29) | (28) | |
| Fl Oz Per C. Yard | AEA | 2.7 | 2.3 | 2.1 |
| HRWR | 22 | 18 | 16 | |
Table 2 – Concrete Fresh Properties
|
Materials |
4000, EXT, FLT WORK | ||
| REF | JUNO XP RPL 22% | JUNO XP RPL 35% | |
| Unit Weight (pcf) | 140.2 | 139.8 | 135.6 |
| Air Content (%) | 5.1% | 5.2% | 6.0% |
| Slump (inches) | 4.25 | 4.50 | 4.25 |
Figure 2 – Concrete Compressive Strength
Figure 1 – Plastic Shrinkage and Cracking from Moisture Loss on the REF Concrete Slab
Figure 4 – Concrete slab Enhanced with JUNO XP and without Cracks
Extreme conditions put JUNO XP to the ultimate ...
You want crack resistance? We got it!
Fly ash, slag, silica fume — stand back. You’ve got extreme competition as an alternative supplementary cementitious material (ASCM).
If you’re looking for a product that can partially replace traditional cement in your next project, and you want a finished placement that can go the distance through all types of punishment, look to JUNO XP.
In a recent cracking test, we put JUNO XP to extreme conditions. Imagine 100°F and 32° relative humidity for 48 hours.
“Concrete has to crack under these conditions. It has no choice,” says Jon Belkowitz, PhD, Surface Tech’s Chief Technology Officer for concrete. “But we found JUNO XP dramatically restrained the amount of cracking that occurred.”
In a wide range of applications, JUNO XP is a proven ASCM that can partially substitute traditional cement binders without sacrificing performance. More importantly, JUNO XP can reduce the cost of the mix and it’s easy to adopt. It’s a powder that you easily incorporate into any conventional dispersion system — silo, hopper, supersacks, bags and dissolvable bags. Ease-of-use is one more feature that separates JUNO XP from other new technologies. But the big difference can be seen in performance over time and under a wide range of environmental conditions.
“With JUNO XP, we’re seeing much less or no cracking at all in real-world applications,” said Belkowitz. “In this recent test, we recreated an extremely tough environment, and we saw a dramatic difference between concrete made with JUNO XP and a traditional mix.”
For detailed information on JUNO XP’s Ultimate Cracking Test and other product information, contact us.
JUNO XP — an “insurance policy” for Ultra-High ...
Ultra-High Performance Concrete (UHPC) as defined by the American Concrete Institute (ACI) Concrete Terminology and ACI 239 stipulate calls for meeting a compressive strength between 17,000 psi up to 22,000 psi with specified durability, toughness and tensile requirements provided by the inclusion of fibers. However, because of it’s the materials employed high strength, UHPC can be difficult to create and can become brittle and prone to cracking.
Fortunately, recent UHPC testing and real-world applications by Surface Tech are demonstrating that JUNO XP, the company’s proprietary alternative supplementary cementitious material (ASCM), can provide an “insurance policy” against UHPC brittleness and sub-sequent cracking.
“UHPC has so much cement in it you have to go with a low water mix, and that’s where you run into the possibility of cracking at both early and later stages of the concrete,” said Jon Belkowitz, PhD, Surface Tech’s chief technology officer.
JUNO XP has a mechanical impact on fresh concrete that allows for a reduction of cementitious material, while still maintaining the cream needed to allow grey concrete to flow easily into the formwork. Moreover, JUNO XP has also proven it can increase strength and durability.
“It makes UHPC stronger, tougher and last longer at no additional cost,” said Belkowitz, who added the product is showing spectacular results in current UHPC application testing by one of the nation’s premier concrete precasters.
“JUNO XP is decreasing the binder content by 15 to 25 percent without sacrificing fresh or hardened properties.”
Those who specify and work with UPHC should welcome these results and the fact that JUNO XP is easily adoptable and improves standard, higher performance concrete mixes, in addition to UHPC.
“JUNO XP can be considered a ‘toughening agent’ for UHPC,” said Belkowitz, “meaning it can increase the strain on the concrete before failure, or increase the energy under stress. This positively affects the strain curve as opposed to other supplementary materials, which tends to make the concrete more brittle at high strengths.”
As numerous tests and real-world applications continue to demonstrate that JUNO XP delivers a revolutionary advancement in concrete solutions, it leads Belkowitz to issue his best advice: “Start using Juno XP today! It’s flipping awesome!”
ASCM — an acronym for the future of concrete
Acronyms. They’re everywhere. Each industry has plenty, and even our text language is well populated with LOL, OMG and a long list of others. So you may groan a bit when you see a new one, but ASCM for the concrete industry is one you’ll definitely want to know and remember.
Alternative supplementary cementitious materials (ASCM) are making waves within the industry, and for good reasons. One, they can partially replace traditional cement in a wide range of concrete mixes. This is good news for the environment, because the production of traditional cement requires enormous amounts of energy and releases CO2 into the air.
Two, ASCMs have the capability to deliver important improvements to concrete mixtures. They can increase strength and lifespan, improve workability in placement and require less water, while still delivering the creaminess required for most concrete mixes.
Third, to the delight of many, ASCMs can reduce the cost of concrete. And when you combine the cost savings benefit with added strength that provides improved resistance to abrasion, salts and acidic environments, it’s no wonder attention to ASCMs has grown over the past few years.
ASCMS such as silica and fly ash have been around for a while. But these materials do not address all of the shortcomings of Portland cement in certain applications and environments.
That’s why Surface Tech developed JUNO XP, an advanced mineral admixture that can partially substitute traditional cement. It can be used in standard concretes and in specialty applications without sacrificing performance.
The core technology found in Surface Tech’s JUNO XP is a revolutionary building material using cutting-edge advancements in mineralogy and nanotechnology combined with a graduated fiber matrix to reduce material cost.
Best of all, adding JUNO XP to your mix is easy. You can add it at any point in the production process—at the plant, on the job site, or wherever it fits your need.
So now that you know about ACSM, all you really need to remember is JUNO XP. For more information on how JUNO XP can lower cost and improve performance in projects like soil stabilization, controlled density fill (CDF) and rip-rap, visit https://www.surface-tech.com/portfolio/juno/. To find out how you can achieve savings of up to 30 percent on your next project, contact us.
JUNO XP surpasses major milestone in Stage 4 ...
For years, contractors have utilized several common types of supplemental cementitious materials (SCM), including fly ash, slag cement, calcined clays, and silica fume to partially replace traditional Portland cement in concrete mixes. The use of these materials has been supported by significant research and testing, as well as long-term performance monitoring.
Now the same rigorous testing procedures are being applied to JUNO XP, Surface Tech’s alternative supplemental cementious material (ASCM), and the reports from Stage 4 testing show JUNO XP produced “fantastic results,” according to Jon Belkowitz, PhD, chief technology officer for cement.
“The 90-day strength test results show JUNO XP is awesome! Throughout the 90-day set of results, the strength and durability of the JUNO XP-enhanced concrete proved out above the 1709 ASTM references.”
The innovative technology behind JUNO XP generates a hardened matrix that increases cementitious efficiency (see Compress Strength graph), and the resistance to physical attack (see Underwater abrasion graph).
Testing on JUNO XP covers a one-year time period, and by achieving excellent results at the 90-day milestone, the product will now enter the field-testing phase.
Standards for the evaluation of materials for 1709 ASTM certification can be found at https://www.astm.org/Standards/C1709.htm
Colorado Ready Mixed Concrete Provider finds JUNO ...
For challenging winter weather, look no further than Colorado. During the cold months, concrete pavement must withstand an unending cycle of freeze-thaw and a constant barrage of de-icing salts. When a Colorado-based concrete provider sought a new solution to this age-old problem, they turned to Surface Tech.
With fly ash in short supply, the concrete provider needed an alternative supplemental cementitious material (ASCM) that would meet ASTM C 672 specifications for a high-end residential driveway. The specs called for a high compressive strength and an ASCM that would ensure a dense hydrated concrete matrix. It was an ideal test for JUNO XP, Surface Tech’s pioneering ASCM product.
Using Surface Tech’s Rapid Deployment technology, JUNO XP was easily added to the mix with no issues or delays in the standard process. Concrete finishers remarked on the ease of finishing despite the reduction in paste content. The mix also retained fresh properties, compressive strength and resiliency when tested from samples fabricated during laboratory and field trials. Best of all, the test delivered significant cost savings without sacrificing fresh or hardened properties. Moreover, a third party testing laboratory confirmed that the JUNO XP concrete maintained the strength and shrinkage required by the engineering specifications.
The concrete provider in Colorado — and others like it across North America — have consistently found that JUNO XP-enhanced concrete will maintain performance, lead to cost savings and create an environment for a greener concrete mix design. Click here to learn more about the revolutionary capabilities of JUNO XP.
What is an ASCM and Why Do We Care?
Chief Technical Officer Jon Belkowitz, PhD to present at Concrete Expo in 2019
Surface Tech’s Chief Technical Officer Jon Belkowitz, PhD, will present an overview of Alternative Supplementary Cementitious Materials (ASCM) at Concrete Expo on Jan. 31, 2019 in South Bend, IN. He will provide an overview of ASCM, including how these materials manipulate the microstructure of concrete. Belkowitz has conducted extensive research into ASCM, and part of his presentation will review ongoing concrete research projects.
Interest in ASCM has grown in recent years as supplies of fly ash have decreased. Many producers have also begun to seek out alternatives to these materials in a quest to improve mix workability and hardening properties. Add to these motivations an overall growing concern for the environmental impacts of traditional cement production, and you begin to see why producers are looking for reliable alternative cementitious materials.
At his presentation, you will learn how ASCM-enhanced concrete performs in both workability and hardening stages, as well as the means and methods of employing these products in concrete manufacturing. His presentation will also detail how ASCM can produce civil infrastructure that is both stronger and last longer.
Learn more about the ASCM offered by Surface Tech.
Searching for an easy way to reduce traditional ...
Lower cost. Environmentally friendly. Higher performance.
These are just a few of the benefits JUNO XP can deliver. But most contractors also want a replacement product that’s easy to adopt, and equally important, produces a concrete that performs well and can withstand the test of time. On all fronts, JUNO XP delivers.
JUNO XP acts as an alternative supplementary cementitious material (ASCM) that reduces the need for traditional cement. Because JUNO XP is a powder, it can be easily incorporated into any conventional dispersion system — silo, hopper, supersacks, bags and dissolvable bags. Integration ease is what separates JUNO XP from other new technologies.
It can also save you money. Contractors can expect to see a reduction of 20 to 35 percent of the cost of conventional cement by adding JUNO XP to the mix. Savings and ease of use alone make JUNO XP a preferred alternative supplementary cementitous product.
Yet JUNO XP goes further by providing key environmental benefits. Since traditional cement production accounts for 88% of the emissions associated with the average concrete mix, JUNO XP provides a way to offset this pollution and provides a means to achieve LEED credits and an improved carbon footprint for your project. Reduction of cement in mix designs is a calculable formula recognized by ACI/ASTM for credits.
Best of all, the ease of use—plus the dollar and environmental savings—come with no sacrifice in performance. The proprietary and novel properties of JUNO XP change cement hydration at the molecular level to increase the strength (tensile and compressive) and the durability of concrete. And it improves the performance of concrete on other levels, including workability and shrinkage control.
JUNO XP has passed Stage 1 and 2 testing to achieve ASTM C1709 certification with impressive results, with final Stage 3 testing on the near horizon. Key early adopters are lab and field testing and piloting the product in various mix designs throughout the U.S. and Canada and report stellar results.
To take advantage of the cost savings, environmental benefits and higher performance offered by JUNO XP — plus learn more about its ease of adoption — contact us.