Far-reaching benefits through AfriSam’s advanced composite cements

The 20^th Century concept of so-called “pure” Portland cement is rapidly becoming obsolete with the development of technologically advanced composite cements far more suited to visionary 21^st Century needs.

“We are challenged with balancing the increasing demands of ever more sophisticated business and industry with a fragile environment under growing pressure,” Grant Neser, AfriSam’s commercial executive, points out. “We cannot afford to keep producing cements with conventional technologies that generate large quantities of CO₂ emissions while we have the option of using more technologically advanced composite cements which offer additional advantages in comparison to conventional cements.”

AfriSam has become a globally recognised leader in the production of these advanced composite cements, which use by-products from the steel manufacturing and coal-fired power station industries together with chemical activators to improve the characteristics and performance of traditional Portland cement.

“For the past two decades, we have been conducting extensive research and development into the production of these advanced cements, replacing the environmentally unfriendly clinker and reducing our carbon footprint dramatically,” Neser continues. “AfriSam has poured considerable capital investment into upgrading its production facilities to produce advanced composite cements. As a result, we have been able to reduce our clinker factor from a world average of some 90% to an average of 60%, with reductions to as low as 35% for Eco Building Cement that is especially environmentally friendly.”

According to Neser, using by-products such as silica fume, pulverised fly ash and ground granulated blast furnace slag produces cements which generate concrete with improved heat of hydration, reduced porosity, improved strength, durability and resistance to chemical attack. “The slag, for instance, binds with chlorides in coastal environments, protecting reinforcing steel from corrosion.  Lower heat of hydration means that heat generation can be far better controlled with bulk pours, reducing thermal cracking and resultant porosity. In other words, producing advanced composite cements enables us to control and improve the consistency in the performance of cement to a greater degree” he points out.

AfriSam can now produce the full range of branded composite cements including All-Purpose, High-Strength, Eco Building Cement and Rapid Hard Cements as well as customised blends for customers with specific requirements.

“We continue to refine our range of advanced composite cements in response to both customer and market requirements, with our finger consistently on the pulse of the latest scientific advances.”