The New Zealand market for silicon-based construction products is growing rapidly. As an example, the construction industry in New Zealand spent $8.5 billion in 2018 and is expected to reach $10 billion by 2020. So there’s a lot of money to be made in this niche market. If you’re wondering what that niche market is about and how it affects you, read on. We'll answer your questions and clear up any confusion about what silica testing means so you can get started right away.

Silica Testing in NZ: How to Do It and What You Need To Know

What is silica testing?

Silica is a naturally occurring mineral found in certain rocks, sands, and soils. Silica is an inorganic solid with a specific chemical formula of SiO2. It’s a component of many building materials, including cement, acrylic, glass, ceramics, metal, and concrete. Silica is not a toxic component in concrete, but it can be harmful if it’s present in high concentrations in a material. Silica is normally found in concrete as an impurity that comes from the rock materials used to make concrete. You can also find it in sand, rocks, and walls or ceilings. Silica testing in NZ is the process of analyzing the concentration of silica in a material. There are many reasons why a building materials supplier, contractor, or architect might want to know the concentration of silica in a material. Silica can be harmful if the concentration is too high. For example, if you remove the wall plaster and you find a layer of concrete under it, the silica concentration in that layer could be too high and could damage the plaster.

Why Conduct Silica Testing?

There is a common misconception that silica is not a problem in concrete. In reality, silica is often a problem in concrete. Silica can cause concrete to shrink, causing it to crack or even collapse. Silica can also reduce the durability and longevity of concrete. Silica is often a problem in low-cost concrete because it’s often added as a byproduct of other materials used to make concrete. For example, it often occurs as a component of sand or as a component of a synthetic additive used to make concrete.

How to Conduct Silica Testing?

To conduct silica testing, your silica lab uses a special instrument to break down the silica in the sample, extract it, and then analyze the sample for the amount of silica. There are two types of tests used to determine the concentration of silica. The first type of test is the Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) method, which involves heating the sample to characterize the weight loss of silica. A second test analyzes the sample at a cold temperature to determine the amount of hydrogen gas released when the sample breaks down. You would order your silica testing like this: silica testing lab name> sends the sample to silica testing lab name>’s lab with instructions on what type of silica test to perform. When the sample comes back from the lab, it will show the amount of silica. silica testing lab name> would then enter this data into a database so it can be reported to the customer.

Things to Consider When Conducting Silica Testing

There are a few things to consider when conducting silica testing, including: - What type of silica test should you perform? There are two main types of tests used to determine the amount of silica in material: The first type of test is the Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) method, which involves heating the sample to characterize the weight loss of silica. A second test analyzes the sample at a cold temperature to determine the amount of hydrogen gas released when the sample breaks down. - How much does it cost to conduct silica testing? The cost of silica testing depends on what type of test is performed, where you are located, if you need specialized equipment, or if you need to hire a special inspector to conduct the test. For example, if you use a microwave instrument, then it’s much cheaper than performing spectroscopic analysis. On the other hand, spectroscopic instruments are more accurate and are used when the material is too corrosive to be handled using microwave instruments. - How long does it take to conduct silica testing? There are two types of tests used to determine the amount of silica in material and they take different amounts of time: The first of the two tests is a test performed at a cold temperature. A cold temperature test takes several hours to perform while the other, a test that uses a microwave instrument, takes just a few minutes.

Final Words: Should You Conduct Silica Testing for Your Projects?

Silica is not a toxic component in concrete and it can be harmful if the concentration is too high. Concrete is not usually a problem for silica and is usually safe to use. However, in many low-cost concrete samples, the concentration of silica is too high and can cause concrete to crack or even crumble. So, if you do encounter a concrete project with a high silica concentration, you should consider testing the concrete. The cost of conducting silica testing is often less than $500, plus the cost of shipping the sample to the lab. So, if you suspect you may encounter a project with a high silica concentration, you should consider conducting silica testing as part of your due diligence process.

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