| HS Code | 335892 |
| Product Name | Tile Adhesive Grade VAc-Acrylate RDP |
| Polymer Type | Vinyl Acetate-Acrylate Copolymer |
| Physical Form | White Powder |
| Glass Transition Temperature Tg | Approximately 0°C to 5°C |
| Minimum Film Formation Temperature Mfft | Approximately 0°C to 3°C |
| Redispersibility | Excellent, forms stable dispersion in water |
| Particle Size | Typically 1-10 microns |
| Ash Content | Low, usually 8-12% |
| Bulk Density | 400-600 g/L |
| Ph Value Redispersed | 6.5-8.5 |
| Viscosity Redispersed | 1000-3000 mPa·s (depending on solids content) |
| Tensile Adhesion Strength | High, especially for cementitious tile adhesives |
| Water Retention | Improves water retention in mortar mix |
| Flexibility | Enhanced flexibility and crack resistance |
As an accredited Tile Adhesive Grade VAc-Acrylate RDP factory, we enforce strict quality protocols—every batch undergoes rigorous testing to ensure consistent efficacy and safety standards.
| Packing | Tile Adhesive Grade VAc-Acrylate RDP is packaged in 25 kg multilayer kraft bags with PE inner liner, palletized and shrink-wrapped. |
| Container Loading (20′ FCL) | 20′ FCL loaded with 25kg bags on pallets, shrink-wrapped, ventilated, safe for Tile Adhesive Grade VAc-Acrylate RDP. |
| Shipping | Tile Adhesive Grade VAc-Acrylate RDP is shipped as a free-flowing powder in moisture-proof multilayer bags or containers. Protect from humidity, direct sunlight, and heavy pressure. Store dry at 5–35°C. Transport in clean, dry containers, avoiding contamination and prolonged exposure to moisture. |
| Storage | Store Tile Adhesive Grade VAc-Acrylate RDP in a cool, dry, well-ventilated area, protected from direct sunlight and moisture. Keep in original, tightly sealed packaging on pallets, avoiding floor contact. Prevent exposure to rain, condensation, and high temperatures. Under these conditions, shelf life is up to 6 months from manufacturing date. |
| Shelf Life | Shelf life is typically 12 months when stored unopened in a cool, dry place away from moisture. |
In interior thin-bed ceramic wall fixing, tile adhesive grade VAc-acrylate RDP is introduced into a dry blend based on CEM I 42.5 R ordinary Portland cement, graded silica sand 0.1 mm to 0.6 mm, and a water-retaining cellulose ether. The polymer powder addition is typically held between 1.8 wt% and 3.0 wt% of total dry mortar. The VAc-acrylate phase does not replace cement hydration; it coalesces into a continuous film within capillary pores and at the tile adhesive interface after the cement matrix has started to set. This film produces a non-brittle failure mode and stable wet adhesion. A wall-tile adhesive classified as C1 under EN 12004-1:2017 and ISO 13007-1:2014 must show a tensile adhesion strength of at least 0.5 N/mm² after dry storage, water immersion, heat ageing, and freeze-thaw cycling. When tested to EN 1348:2007, properly cured VAc-acrylate-modified C1 compositions generally exceed this threshold after 28 days dry curing followed by 7 days water immersion. Published data for a specific bagged formulation is limited because the measured value depends on sand gradation, air void profile, cement content, cellulose ether type, and open water content. The North American equivalent is a product tested to ANSI A118.4 as a modified dry-set cement mortar, used for interior ceramic tile installation with partial-contact or full-contact trowel coverage.
On a tonnage dry-mix line, the product is manufactured in a high-shear twin-shaft paddle mixer or horizontal ploughshare mixer with a batch capacity of 1,000 kg to 2,000 kg. Portland cement and sand are premixed for 60 s to 90 s, then cellulose ether and VAc-acrylate RDP are introduced and dispersed for an additional 120 s at 80 min⁻¹ to 120 min⁻¹. Discharge temperature is kept below 40 °C because frictional heat can soften the polymer powder at the mixer wall and create lumps that reduce batch uniformity. At relative humidity above 60 %, sand is pre-dried to below 0.3 % residual moisture before blending; otherwise the powder agglomerates in silos and causes batch-to-batch variation in open time and wet adhesion. The finished bagged C1 adhesive is intended for ceramic wall tiles up to approximately 300 mm × 300 mm, installed with a 6 mm square-notched trowel at a nominal bed thickness of 3 mm to 5 mm. A known operational boundary is that the RDP must not be dispersed directly into gauging water on site, because irreversible agglomeration occurs before the polymer can form a film.
For large-format rectified porcelain panels with water absorption at or below 0.1 % and edge lengths exceeding 600 mm, the adhesive must combine improved adhesion, extended open time, reduced slip, and deformability under shear. VAc-acrylate RDP is incorporated at 3.5 wt% to 5.5 wt% of total dry mortar, with the higher end used for S1 and S2 classifications. The polymer film lowers the composite elastic modulus and permits strain recovery when the porcelain slab and the concrete substrate undergo differential movement. Under EN 12004-1:2017 and ISO 13007-1:2014, a C2 adhesive must retain at least 1.0 N/mm² after dry, water immersion, heat ageing, and freeze-thaw conditioning. For deformable grades, EN 12004-2:2017 requires transverse deformation of ≥2.5 mm for S1 and ≥5.0 mm for S2. The VAc-acrylate powder contributes to these values by reducing water absorption in the interfacial layer and by acting as a crack-bridging polymer under cyclical thermal stress. In North America, this product is supplied as an improved modified dry-set cement mortar tested to ANSI A118.15. Floor installations with this adhesive may be evaluated under ASTM C627 for a service rating appropriate to the specified tile size and substrate deflection.
A production line observation for this grade is that 500 kg vertical ribbon blenders operating below 30 min⁻¹ are generally insufficient; the required polymer distribution is achieved in a high-shear ploughshare mixer with a tip speed above 15 m/s and a batch mixing time of 180 s to 240 s. Field application for large-format porcelain requires a slower process sequence. The powder is mixed with clean water using a slow-speed drill at 300 min⁻¹ to 400 min⁻¹, allowed to slake for 5 min to 10 min, then remixed for 30 s. The adhesive is applied with a 10 mm to 12 mm notched trowel, and the tile back is buttered to achieve contact area of at least 85 % for interior floors and 95 % for facades. The pot life of a VAc-acrylate C2TE formulation under site conditions is typically 2 h to 3 h; beyond this period, hydrated cement phases increase viscosity and the coalesced polymer network cannot re-form at the freshly tiled interface.
| Classification | Minimum tensile adhesion after conditioning | Deformability requirement | Typical RDP addition | Primary test methods |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| C1 | 0.5 N/mm² | not required | 1.5–3.0 wt% | EN 1348 |
| C2 | 1.0 N/mm² | not required | 2.5–5.0 wt% | EN 1348 |
| C2TE | 1.0 N/mm²; 0.5 N/mm² after 30 min open time; slip ≤0.5 mm | not required | 3.0–5.0 wt% | EN 1348, EN 1346, EN 1308 |
| C2TE S1 | 1.0 N/mm² | ≥2.5 mm | 4.0–5.5 wt% | EN 1348, EN 1308, EN 12004-2 |
| C2TE S2 | 1.0 N/mm² | ≥5.0 mm | 4.5–6.0 wt% | EN 1348, EN 1308, EN 12004-2 |
The dominant open-time constraint on a ventilated facade is not capillary suction from the tile but evaporation from the adhesive surface. Low-absorption porcelain with water absorption below 0.1 % removes almost no mixing water, so the polymer-cement matrix must retain water and form a coherent surface skin slowly. In this application, VAc-acrylate RDP is used at 3.5 wt% to 4.5 wt% of total dry mortar, combined with a high-viscosity cellulose ether producing 40,000 mPa·s to 70,000 mPa·s Brookfield viscosity at 2 wt% in water. The polymer film coalesces during the skinning phase and limits rapid vapour loss from the trowelled ribbon. Compliance is assessed to EN 1346:2007, where a C2E adhesive must retain at least 0.5 N/mm² tensile adhesion after an open time of 30 min. When substrate temperature exceeds 35 °C and wind speed exceeds 3 m/s, open time can fall below 20 min even with optimal polymer powder. The site mixing process therefore specifies cold potable water at 5 °C to 15 °C, a mix batch not exceeding 25 kg, and application in vertical strips of 1 m width. Pre-wetting the porcelain tile is not considered a reliable corrective action because the low-porosity surface retains only a discontinuous water layer. The facade adhesive is applied with an 8 mm to 10 mm notched trowel, and the tile is pressed into position within 10 min of trowelling.
Dry-mix production for a C2E facade adhesive uses a jacketed high-shear mixer with cooling water circulated to keep the powder temperature below 45 °C. If the mixer wall temperature rises above this threshold, RDP particles soften and adhere to metal surfaces, reducing the effective polymer content in the batch and lowering field open time. The finished product is a facade-grade C2E or C2TE adhesive supplied in 25 kg lined paper bags with a silo-storage humidity limit of 60 % RH. A known formulation incompatibility is the excessive use of air-entraining agents above 0.2 wt%; high air content competes with the polymer film at the aggregate-paste transition zone and can reduce tensile adhesion without changing the measured open time.
Renovation over old ceramic tile and gypsum-based levelling compounds introduces two opposing requirements: adhesion to a non-porous glazed surface and sufficient vapour permeability for residual moisture in the gypsum substrate. VAc-acrylate RDP is typically dosed at 4.0 wt% to 6.0 wt% of total dry mortar in a C2 S1 renovation adhesive. The coalesced polymer film provides adhesion to the dense glaze by mechanical anchoring on the roughened surface, while the cement matrix maintains compressive strength. Before tiling, the gypsum substrate is tested by the calcium carbide method; residual moisture must not exceed 0.5 % by weight. Above this limit, the alkaline cement can produce ettringite at the gypsum-cement interface and cause delamination. On site, the existing ceramic surface is mechanically scarified with a diamond cup wheel to remove the polished layer and create a groove profile of 0.3 mm to 0.5 mm. Vacuum dust extraction is required because residual dust film reduces polymer-to-substrate contact. A styrene-acrylate primer is rolled at 150 g/m² to 200 g/m² and dried for 2 h before the adhesive is applied with an 8 mm notched trowel. The dry-mix process for this high-polymer product must avoid wet blending of the RDP into gauging water; direct addition of powder to water causes irreversible agglomeration and a loss of film-forming solids. On the production line, the VAc-acrylate powder is dry-premixed with calcium carbonate filler before it contacts cement. This premix step prevents electrostatic clustering and improves distribution of the polymer through the batch.
The final product is a renovation tile adhesive supplied in 20 kg or 25 kg bags, used to fix ceramic and porcelain covers over existing tile without demolition. The relevant mechanical requirement remains the C2 threshold of 1.0 N/mm² after EN 1348:2007 conditioning cycles. Published data for the exact long-term shear adhesion of this specific configuration is limited, because site preparation, primer type, and the age of the existing tile dominate the failure mode. The product is not recommended for substrates contaminated with wax-based floor polishes unless the polish is removed by mechanical grinding or a suitable solvent cleaner followed by a bonding pull test.
Swimming pools, fountains, and therapeutic spa shells require a cementitious tile adhesive that tolerates permanent water contact, intermittent chemical dosing, and temperature cycles. VAc-acrylate RDP is used at 4.0 wt% to 6.0 wt% of total dry mortar in a C2-class formulation; the acrylate comonomer reduces the alkali and water sensitivity of the film compared with a pure vinyl acetate polymer. The classification is C2 under EN 12004-1:2017 and ISO 13007-1:2014, with tensile adhesion after water immersion tested to EN 1348:2007 at ≥1.0 N/mm². The adhesive is not applied directly to structural concrete in a submerged installation. The approved sequence begins with a cementitious waterproofing membrane meeting EN 14891:2017, applied in two passes at a combined thickness of 2 mm to 3 mm and cured for 24 h. The tile adhesive is then mixed with clean water at 0.20 L/kg to 0.24 L/kg of powder and spread with a 4 mm or 6 mm V-notched trowel for glass or porcelain mosaics. Each mosaic sheet is beat into the adhesive bed with a rubber float to achieve full transfer and remove air pockets. After curing, the adhesive must develop hydration and film coalescence before the pool is filled. A minimum waiting period of 14 days at 20 °C and 50 % RH is specified; early flooding before this period can leach soluble cement components and prevent the polymer film from reaching its design wet-adhesion value.
In service, chlorinated water with a free chlorine level of 0.5 mg/L to 3.0 mg/L and pH 7.2 to 7.8 is a mild oxidative environment. The tile adhesive grade VAc-acrylate RDP is selected over lower-cost vinyl acetate homopolymers because the acrylate segment limits film swelling and retains adhesion under prolonged immersion. A known operational boundary is that the mixed adhesive must not be applied below 5 °C substrate temperature or above 30 °C water temperature during application; outside this window the cement hydration and polymer coalescence rates diverge, producing a weak interfacial layer. The finished product is a C2 tile adhesive used in conjunction with a cementitious waterproofing membrane to fix porcelain or glass mosaic in permanently submerged basins.
Glass mosaic sheets in intermittent water exposure demand a white or light-coloured adhesive because the glass body transmits and scatters light through the adhesive bed. VAc-acrylate RDP is incorporated at 2.5 wt% to 4.0 wt% of total dry mortar in a white-cement formulation based on CEM I 52.5 R white Portland cement and 0.1 mm to 0.4 mm white silica sand. The polymer powder must disperse uniformly without producing grey-brown streaks from cement hydration. On a production line, the white adhesive is mixed in a separate high-shear mixer to avoid cross-contamination from grey C1 products; shared silos and bagging lines are purged with white calcium carbonate until iron oxide content is below 0.1 %. The finished adhesive is classified as C2TE under EN 12004-1:2017, with slip resistance ≤0.5 mm and extended open time ≥0.5 N/mm² after 30 min to EN 1346:2007. On the work site, glass mosaic sheets are fixed by applying the adhesive with a 3 mm V-notched trowel and pressing the sheet with a rubber float. The thickness of the adhesive bed must not exceed 5 mm; thicker sections can produce uneven hydration and cause local depressions visible through the glass. The polymer film also reduces water staining at the edge of the mosaic by limiting capillary water movement through the cement matrix.
Published data for the specific colour stability of this configuration under prolonged UV and intermittent hot-water exposure is limited; the relevant mechanical requirement remains the C2 threshold of 1.0 N/mm² after standard conditioning cycles. The product is delivered in 25 kg white polyethylene-lined bags and is intended for interior wet-area and intermittent exterior water-exposure installations. The dry-mix process must not use iron-containing filling equipment, because even minor iron contamination can react with the white cement and produce discoloration through the glass mosaic sheet after commissioning.
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Tile adhesive grade vinyl acetate–acrylate redispersible polymer powder, designated Grade AV-8020, is a spray-dried copolymer of vinyl acetate and butyl acrylate stabilized with a poly(vinyl alcohol) protective colloid. The powder is manufactured with a residual moisture content of ≤1.5% after drying at 105 °C for 2 h in accordance with ISO 3251:2019, an ash content of 10–14% determined by ISO 3451-1:2019, a bulk density of 0.45–0.65 g/cm³ determined by ISO 60:2023, and a pH of 6.0–8.5 in a 10% aqueous dispersion. The minimum film-forming temperature is 6–10 °C, and the dry powder passes a 0.315 mm sieve with a residue below 2.0%. The product is supplied in 25 kg multiwall paper bags with a polyethylene liner and is intended for dry-mix cementitious tile adhesives classified under EN 12004-1:2017 and ISO 13007-1:2014. In the presence of alkaline mixing water, the powder redisperses and forms a film that reinforces the cement paste, reduces interfacial shrinkage stress, and improves tensile adhesion on low-porosity tiles.
In a C2 cementitious adhesive, the choice between a vinyl acetate–ethylene redispersible powder and a VAc-acrylate grade such as AV-8020 affects the temperature response of the cured film. VAE copolymers typically have a glass transition temperature of -10 °C to 5 °C and a minimum film-forming temperature of 0–4 °C. AV-8020 has a glass transition temperature of 8–15 °C and a minimum film-forming temperature of 6–10 °C. The higher transition temperatures raise cohesive strength at 23 °C but reduce elongation at break. Where a formulation must achieve an S1 deformability classification under EN 12004-2:2017, a VAE powder may be preferred because its lower glass transition temperature allows transverse deformation greater than 2.5 mm at 23 °C. Conversely, where early tensile adhesion strength after dry cure is the controlling requirement, a VAc-acrylate powder can provide 1.0–1.4 N/mm² at 28 days when tested according to EN 1348:2007, while allowing a lower total organic content because of higher film strength per unit mass. The dry-blend formulator must also consider that the butyl acrylate comonomer reduces the susceptibility of vinyl acetate ester groups to alkaline hydrolysis, but it does not impart the same hydrophobic performance as an ethylene-rich VAE. As a result, water immersion tensile adhesion of VAc-acrylate formulations may be 0.8–1.2 N/mm² after 7 days immersion at 20 °C, while VAE systems commonly reach 0.9–1.5 N/mm² under the same conditioning.
| Parameter | VAc-acrylate AV-8020 | VAE RDP typical |
|---|---|---|
| Glass transition temperature | 8–15 °C | -10–5 °C |
| Minimum film-forming temperature | 6–10 °C | 0–4 °C |
| Film elongation at break | 50–150% | 200–600% |
| Initial tensile adhesion, EN 1348:2007 | 1.0–1.4 N/mm² | 0.9–1.3 N/mm² |
| Tensile adhesion after water immersion, EN 1348:2007 | 0.8–1.2 N/mm² | 0.9–1.5 N/mm² |
| Deformability classification | S1 less likely | S1 achievable |
| Typical dosage in C2 adhesive | 2.0–3.0 wt% | 2.5–4.0 wt% |
In production-scale dry blending, the powder is added after the cement and filler have been pre-mixed for 60 seconds in a horizontal ribbon blender. A total mix time of 180 seconds at 20–30 rpm is sufficient to achieve a coefficient of variation below 3% for polymer content when sampled at five points. The standard starting formulation for a C2 adhesive contains 25–30 wt% CEM I 42.5 R, 40–50 wt% graded silica sand 0.1–0.5 mm, 5–10 wt% limestone filler 0.01–0.1 mm, 0.3–0.4 wt% hydroxyethyl methyl cellulose ether, 0.4–0.6 wt% calcium formate, and 2.0–3.0 wt% AV-8020. Mixing with 24–26 wt% water at 20 °C in a slow-speed drill mixer at 300 rpm produces a pot life of approximately 2–4 hours. Adhesive applied with a 6 mm × 6 mm notched trowel is suitable for ceramic tiles with side lengths up to 300 mm; larger-format tiles require back-buttering and a trowel with notch dimensions of 10 mm × 10 mm to achieve full transfer. Tensile adhesion is evaluated by EN 1348:2007 after dry, water immersion, heat ageing, and freeze–thaw conditioning. The addition of 2.5 wt% AV-8020 typically raises initial tensile adhesion from a polymer-free control value of 0.4–0.6 N/mm² to 1.1–1.4 N/mm².
Slip resistance in a VAc-acrylate-modified C2 adhesive is controlled by the interaction between the redispersed polymer film, the cellulose ether gel, and the free water still available at the tile interface after open time. Testing in accordance with EN 1308:2007 uses a 100 mm × 100 mm tile and a 5 kg weight on a vertical tile assembly. With 2.5 wt% AV-8020 and 0.35 wt% medium-viscosity cellulose ether, the slip after 20 minutes open time is typically 0.2–0.5 mm. If the cellulose ether dosage is reduced below 0.3 wt%, anti-slip performance deteriorates because the open-time film is less able to retain a high-yield-stress gel structure; if the polymer addition exceeds 3.0 wt%, the adhesive may develop excessive thixotropy and trap air during mixing, causing reduced contact area and a false-positive slip test. The acrylate component increases film stiffness at ambient temperature, which helps to immobilize the tile once the adhesive has been compressed, but it does not eliminate the need for a well-dispersed cellulose ether. Production batches that show slip above 0.5 mm after 20 minutes are usually traced to under-dispersion of the cellulose ether or water addition above 26 wt%. Published data for large-format porcelain tiles with absorption below 0.5% indicates that full embedment and minimal slip require a wet film thickness at least 1.5 times the tile lug depth.
Bulk handling of AV-8020 requires control of storage humidity because the poly(vinyl alcohol) protective colloid is hygroscopic. Bags should be stored at 20–30 °C and relative humidity below 60%; if the powder has been exposed to relative humidity above 60% for more than 4 hours, it must be re-tested for moisture content before use. The bulk density of 0.45–0.65 g/cm³ and mean particle size of 60–100 µm permit conveyance in dilute-phase vacuum systems without excessive segregation. In gravity-fed batch scales, the powder should be added last to prevent accumulation on mixer walls. A twin-ribbon blender with a fill level of 60–70% and a mixing time of 120–180 seconds produces a homogeneous dry blend; a horizontal paddle mixer operating at 15–25 rpm may require 240 seconds. The residue on a 0.315 mm sieve should remain below 2.0% to prevent specking in the mixed adhesive. If the dry blend is to be stored in silos, the silo should be vented and maintained at a dew point below 10 °C to prevent condensation on cold metal surfaces. Batch-to-batch variance in bulk density is typically less than ±0.02 g/cm³ when the spray dryer inlet temperature is controlled at 160–180 °C and the outlet temperature at 70–80 °C; excursions beyond these ranges can create coarse particles that do not redisperse fully.
The alkaline environment of Portland cement exposes the polymer film to pH values above 12 during hydration. Vinyl acetate homopolymer and vinyl acetate-rich copolymers are susceptible to saponification of acetate ester groups, which weakens the film and reduces water immersion adhesion. In AV-8020, the butyl acrylate comonomer is incorporated at 20–30 wt% of the polymer backbone and is distributed to interrupt long vinyl acetate sequences. This sequence distribution reduces the rate of alkaline hydrolysis relative to vinyl acetate homopolymer powders. The protective poly(vinyl alcohol) colloid can also participate in crosslinking with calcium ions from cement pore solution, forming a partial ionic network that increases film strength. However, AV-8020 does not provide the same water-vapour barrier performance as an ethylene-rich VAE, because the acrylate ester groups are less hydrophobic than polyethylene segments. Tensile adhesion after 14 days wet storage in water at 20 °C should be measured according to EN 1348:2007; values below 0.7 N/mm² typically indicate either insufficient polymer dosage, incomplete redispersion, or excessive air entrainment. Formulators should not add this powder to primers or surface sealers that contain high levels of polyamines or amine-functional silanes, because the amine groups can accelerate ester hydrolysis and reduce shelf stability.
Regulatory compliance for tile adhesive applications is evaluated against REACH and RoHS. The powder does not contain substances of very high concern above 0.1 wt% under REACH Article 33, and it is not classified as dangerous for transport under ADR/RID. The material should not be blended with gypsum-based tile adhesives unless an independent compatibility study has confirmed that sulfate ions from the calcium sulfate do not reduce film formation and that the formation of ettringite does not cause expansion. When stored in unopened bags at 20–25 °C, the shelf life is 12 months. After opening, the bag should be resealed and the powder used within 7 days to avoid moisture uptake. For external applications in climates with repeated freeze–thaw cycles, the cured adhesive should be tested under EN 1348:2007 freeze–thaw conditioning; if the required tensile adhesion is not met, a lower-glass-transition VAE powder may be considered.
