Sika launches SikaFiber®-200 Végétal, a 100% bio-based fiber

For several years now, Sika has been investing in the development of products with advantages in terms of sustainability and having a positive effect on the entire value creation process, from the sourcing of materials to the recycling of the materials used, through the formulation and manufacture of products.

In this context, Sika is today launching a 100% vegetable fiber for concrete: SikaFiber®-200 Végétal. Of natural origin, this cellulose microfiber generates an even denser network of fibers for better resistance to early cracking of concrete.

Nature at the service of concrete

Made in Europe, SikaFiber®-200 Végétal is an eco-responsible alternative to the polymeric microfibers used on the market. Of natural origin, it is obtained from wood from sustainably managed European forests. It participates in the manufacture of more virtuous and more easily recyclable concrete, in particular by the absence of plastic in the concrete returns and in the retention tanks.

SikaFiber®-200 Végétal: unparalleled performance

Intended for flat cast concrete (screeds, industrial paving, deactivated concrete, decorative, stamped, floors, terraces, etc.), SikaFiber®-200 Végétal is one of the most efficient fibers on the market. Indeed, a reduced dose of SikaFiber-200 Végétal microfibers generates an even denser network of fibers for better resistance to cracking due to plastic shrinkage, without interfering with the fluidity of the concrete.

Measurements carried out according to a specific protocol have shown that the use of SikaFiber®-200 Végétal, at a dosage of 300 g / m3, allows a 68% reduction in cracks at a young age (24 hours) compared to non-concrete. fiber.

Technical specifications:

Length: 0,2 mm
Diameter: 20 μm
Usual dosage / m3 of concrete: 300 g / m3
Number of fibers per dose: about 3 billion

This new high-performance, eco-responsible and easy-to-use fiber completes the range of bio-based products developed by Sika in the concrete sector, such as Sika ViscoCrete® 850-Végétal.

This high water-reducing superplasticizer, synthesized from agricultural waste is more than 90% biobased Intended for ready-mixed concrete and prefabrication sites for the production of self-compacting S3 consistency concretes, Sika ViscoCrete® 850-Végétal offers workability, hold and build-up performance comparable to a standard superplasticizer.

Manufactured in the Sika factory in Gournay-en-Bray (76), the synthesis developed by Sika's R&D teams is the subject of a patent application and may be extended to other superplasticizers.