MCI® Resilience in Countering Construction Material Shortages

January 11, 2023

The last two years have been a supply chain roller coaster. In the concrete sector, this surfaced in numerous reports of ready-mixers facing shortages of calcium nitrite or other materials used to enhance concrete durability. The story has been different with MCI® admixtures, which continue to offer a sound and steady solution for corrosion protection and extended service life.

Calcium Nitrite Alternative
MCI
® admixtures are much more than mere calcium nitrite inhibitor (CNI) alternatives. For instance, MCI®-2005 is typically easier to work with than CNI because it does not accelerate set time. It uses a fixed dosage rate and goes beyond inhibiting chloride corrosion to also protect against carbonation induced corrosion. Even better, MCI®-2005 is a USDA Certified Biobased Product and is certified to meet ANSI/NSF Standard 61 for drinking water system components.

Galvanized/Epoxy Coated Rebar Alternative
Contractors have also seen shortages of galvanized and epoxy coated rebar. Although a completely different approach to corrosion than specialty rebars, using MCI
® admixtures can be a great alternative because they typically offer cost savings in addition to meeting corrosion protection and service life requirements. They also preclude corrosion concerns that arise when the protective layer on galvanized or epoxy coated rebar is chipped.

Pozzolan Alternative
Another construction material in shortage has been pozzolans such as fly ash. While one goal of pozzolans is to help meet strength requirements, the other is to meet durability criteria including protection against corrosive attack. Ready-mix suppliers can adjust various parts of the mix design (e.g., water-cement ratio) to help make up for the first concern, while MCI
® admixtures can be used for the latter durability concern by inhibiting corrosion.

A Reliable Supply for Ready-Mixers
Amid the uncertainty of today’s market, MCI
® admixtures have remained a strong source of corrosion protection for ready mixers and a sound alternative to other materials commonly used to extend concrete service life. Whether you find yourself facing a material shortage or simply looking for a practical/economical corrosion solution for your concrete structure, contact Cortec® Corporation to learn more about specifying MCI® as a corrosion inhibiting admixture: https://www.cortecmci.com/contact-us/

Keywords: calcium nitrite shortage, supply chain shortages, MCI admixtures, calcium nitrite alternative, epoxy coated rebar alternative, construction material shortages, corrosion protection, MCI, Cortec, extend service life

For a PDF version please click here.

Request More Information from Cortec®