What is an eco-friendly binder for and how is it used?

Some terms may be unclear to non-experts, especially when talking about roads and construction works. Those who work in this field often use terms such as "inert", "hydraulic kicks“, “stabilized mixed”, “hydraulic invariance“, “binder” and so on. But even for beginners, a basic understanding of the topic can be useful, especially if the latter is linked to traffic and the roads that we all travel on a daily basis. In this guide we will focus exclusively on the concept of legante and, in particular, on that of environmentally friendly binder, essential to give life to one durable natural flooring, long-lasting and high-performance. So let's start from the beginning, starting from the definition of the term.

What is an environmentally friendly binder?

To discover what is an environmentally friendly binder we must first of all understand what a binder is in general. In the field of building materials technology, it is defined legante a substance which, mixed with water or in contact with air, it grips aggregates and bricks, becoming hard and creating a resistant surface or conglomerate. An eco-friendly binder performs the same role, with the difference that the latter is certified as being free from radioactivity and not adding secondary materials from waste from other industrial processes during the production phase. In short, an eco-friendly binder does the same job as a "traditional" binder without negatively impacting the environment or creating pollution.

Environmentally friendly binders and binders: a little history

The need to create stadiums, paths and level surfaces is as old as man. And if a few millennia ago we were "satisfied" with beaten earth, the development of new activities, industrial and otherwise, has triggered a new need: to create surfaces that are always practicable, resistant and capable of accommodating the most diverse vehicles.

So that's where it begins to make its way binder concept: the need, in fact, was that di make the bond between the granules and the aggregates typical of the soil more stable and long-lasting which, either due to rain, frost or continuous transit of vehicles, struggled to remain compacted for a long time. From the middle of the 19th century, therefore, they began to make their way bituminous paving: waste from oil processing, bitumen actually has binding properties which, at the time, seemed problem-free.

The course of events has undermined this certainty, both in terms of performance and environmental impact (see pollution and fossil energy sources). Not to mention that, moreover, bitumen is certainly not suitable for every place: in a site with high landscape value, in an archaeological context or, simply, within a park surrounded by nature, bituminous paving does not meet aesthetic standards required. So what to do when even concrete is not a viable option?

La Research andinnovation on materials they allowed us to give life to environmentally friendly binders perfect for making stabilized roads and pavements also with a rammed earth effect which, however, unlike the latter, are long-lasting, resistant and high-performance.

Eco-friendly binder: what it is for and where it is used

Let us now move on to the purposes and contexts in which i environmentally friendly binders They are used in both private and public settings. An eco-friendly binder is to be used wherever you want to create a ecological flooring, today there are more and more choices also for car parks and rest areas. In general, however, it is a building material suitable for rural roads, pedestrian and cycle paths within natural parks, perfect for public and private gardens, for paths within golf courses, archaeological sites or wherever there is a need not to distort, even from a chromatic and material point of view, the context in which the road or pavement is inserted.

Terra Solida eco-friendly binders, leader in the green flooring sector

Solid Earth has made green roads its mission and core business. And in fact the company has one complete line of environmentally friendly binders, some of which - although acting as binders - are actually special concentrated natural additives which favor the use of specific and, in turn, environmentally friendly binders. Below are some examples.

Openbind

This eco-friendly Terra Solida binder it is three-component and is composed of hydraulic limes, inorganic oxides and fibres. Openbind It is used to create draining floors in both public and private contexts. To make the surface perform well there is no need to use any other type of binder. Furthermore, for those looking for particular effects, there is the possibility of pigmenting the compound with natural oxides, perfect for those looking for different and particular colors for their ecological walkable surfaces.

Nature Premix

In addition to being environmentally friendly, Nature Premix it is a binder-consolidator in powder form. Its use is indicated in those contexts where it is necessary to create natural and permeable floors in stabilized earth. In this case the compost is mixed with soil present on the site where it is operated, with great environmental and economic advantages.

Stabilsolid

Stabilsolid it is a binder-consolidator used for the stabilization of soils or in stabilized mixes. Composed of hydraulic limes and inorganic oxides, it guarantees an increase in the performance requirements of the materials used, thus leading to the durability of the surface itself.

Stabilsana

It behaves like a binder, but it is actually an adjuvant additive, obviously eco-friendly. Stabilsana it is mostly used for the construction of natural dirt roads, perfect for natural contexts or in protected and protected areas.

In short, today when it comes to natural flooring there is no shortage of options: research into materials has made giant strides, even in the binder sector. Choosing eco-friendly materials today is easier than ever: and the environment and health thank you!