A "blown out of proportion" insight into the Nano-World

Our research and development laboratory has now joined the "nano-hype" with the latest arrival of a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). With this addition our laboratories are equipped with state of the art technologies to magnify objects 100,000 times at great accuracy with in depth sharpness to the very minute detail. This piece of technology will enable us to enlarge capillaries and pores found in concrete to help us determine and develop more effective waterproofing products.

The above photo exhibits a magnification of 5,200 times of AQUAFIN-IC crystals sealing the concrete pores against water passage. To scale, the crystals formed have a diameter of 50 – 100 nanometers. As a point of interest 1 nanometer = 1x10-9 or 0.000 000 001 meter.

Another significant use for the scanning electron microscope is to determine the cause/s behind adhesion failure at the interface between coatings and concrete/cementitious substrates. The interfaces when “blown up” can diagnose what went wrong before, during or after the application.