8–11 Jun 2026
SwissTech Convention Center EPFL
Europe/Zurich timezone

Ultra-Rapid Hardening Repair Mortar with Amorphous Calcium Aluminates for Freezer Floor Applications at -25°C

11 Jun 2026, 09:30
20m
SwissTech Convention Center EPFL

SwissTech Convention Center EPFL

SwissTech Convention Center, EPFL, Rue Louis Favre 2, Ecublens, Switzerland
Oral Presentation Durability Durability 1

Speaker

Dr Tomoki Katagiri (MU MATEX Co., Ltd.)

Description

Repairing damaged flooring inside commercial freezer warehouses presents significant challenges due to the extremely low temperature conditions, often below -25°C. This study presents the development of a self-leveling, ultra-rapid hardening mortar designed specifically for subzero applications. The binder system is based on amorphous calcium aluminates (ACA), which exhibit high reactivity and excellent early-age performance under low-temperature environments. The formulation was optimized to ensure flowability and high early strength without the need for external heating.

Laboratory tests evaluated the hydration kinetics, setting time, and mechanical properties of the mortar at -25°C conditions. Results demonstrated that the ACA-based system achieved initial set within 10 minutes and compressive strength exceeding 30 MPa after 3 hours, even under freezing conditions. The product has been successfully applied in a real-world industrial freezer setting, confirming its practical utility and performance.

This paper highlights the potential of ACA as a next-generation binder for cold-environment infrastructure repair and contributes to expanding the scope of high-performance calcium aluminate-based materials.

Affiliations

MU MATEX Co., Ltd., 1-6, Okinoyama, Kogushi, Ube-City,
755-0067 Japan, Email : tomoki.katagiri@mu-cc.com

Keywords amorphous calcium aluminates, ultra-rapid hardening, freezer repair, self-leveling underlayment, cold temperature mortar

Author

Dr Tomoki Katagiri (MU MATEX Co., Ltd.)

Co-authors

Mr Daisuke Kimoto (MU MATEX Co., Ltd.) Mr Kouichi Nishimura (MU MATEX Co., Ltd.) Mr Makoto Nukita (MU MATEX Co., Ltd.)

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