Powering ultra reactivity with ultra-reactive specialty binders: LEAP®
Achieving much more with less, or using less to achieve much more. That was the challenge Imerys experts set themselves in designing the next generation of specialty binders, designed for a market calling for greater performance with less product and lower environmental impact.
LEAP, or LEan calcium Aluminate binders for sustainable Performance, is a new technology platform in the Imerys product range, able to do in one minute what used to take an hour and requiring much less product in a formulation — thus providing a giant ‘leap’ in specialty binder performance.
“LEAP opens up ambitious new doors for both product performance and sustainable construction, allowing manufacturers to do much more with much less,” explains Laurent Torres, Marketing Director of Imerys Construction. “It’s the next chapter in our proud and well-established calcium aluminate story.”
What does it mean to do more with less?
From a technical standpoint, LEAP was developed to be a very robust product with good reactivity at low temperatures, high early strength and dimensional stability. This means there are no compromises on both early and long-term performance. Moreover, LEAP’s efficiency has a direct impact on a building’s Life Cycle Analysis and makes an environmental contribution to the downstream value chain.
“The first, and major, benefit of using LEAP is Lean Mix Design, with up to 25% less product and raw materials required in a formulation for higher performing construction material with a lower CO2 footprint,” says Hervé Fryda, Imerys R&D Director for construction. “By doing more with less, LEAP enables unparalleled performance in all kinds of building materials, from gray to engineered mortars.”
High performance, high applicability
Available as a ready-to-use powder with a long shelf life, LEAP’s versatility allows manufacturers to tailor-make all applicative properties. “From fixing and repairing mortars, precision grouts for flooring, mineral foams for filling cavities and boards, to mining, tunneling and even 3D concrete printing, LEAP enables even more efficient and sustainable construction,” adds Jérôme Grolleau, EMEA Sales Director for construction. Moreover, LEAP’s light white color gives it a visual appeal, meaning it can be leveraged for aesthetic purposes.
With the grades already available, the LEAP technology platform opens the way for many new exciting formulations and potential for construction materials. When leveraged with Imerys’ technical expertise and network, the possibilities for tailor-made solutions are almost limitless.
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Imerys has completed the acquisition of Great Lakes Minerals (GLM), a U.S.-based processor of specialty minerals serving the refractory and abrasives industry, strengthening its presence and mineral solutions offering in North America.
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At Imerys, our aim is to support our customers in achieving their sustainability ambitions. We do this by providing resources, expertise, and innovative solutions that help them address the most pressing environmental challenges in the industries we serve.