Construction Chemical Powder Raw Materials
Raykem supplies the complete range of dry-mix construction chemical raw materials to mortar manufacturers, construction product producers, and industrial buyers across UAE, Saudi Arabia, and the GCC — binders, rheological additives, plasticisers, set controllers, air entraining agents, pigments, fibres, fillers, and more.
Binders & Polymer Powders
Binders provide adhesion, flexibility, and cohesion in dry-mix mortars. Redispersible polymer powders (RDP) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) are the primary binder additives in tile adhesives, self-levelling compounds, EIFS/ETICS systems, and repair mortars.
RDP — Redispersible Polymer Powder
Vinyl Acetate/Ethylene copolymer | VAE-based| Solid content | ≥98% |
| Ash content | 10–14% (anti-caking) |
| Min film temp | 0–5°C |
| Grades | Standard, flexible, water-repellent |
Core binder for tile adhesives, self-levelling compounds, repair mortars, EIFS/ETICS systems, and exterior insulation. Improves adhesion, flexibility, and workability. Available in standard and flexible grades.
View product →PVA — Polyvinyl Alcohol
CAS 9002-89-5 | Various hydrolysis grades| Hydrolysis | 88% / 96% / 99% grades |
| Viscosity | 4–65 mPa·s (4% solution) |
| Application | Mortars, paper, adhesives |
Water-soluble polymer used as a co-binder and adhesion promoter in dry-mix mortars, as a protective colloid in emulsion polymerisation, and as a film former in paper coating. Multiple viscosity and hydrolysis grades available.
Enquire for availability →Gypsum — Anhydrite & Hemihydrate
CAS 10101-41-4 (gypsum) | Binder/filler| Grades | α-hemihydrate, β-hemihydrate, anhydrite |
| Application | Plaster, screed, self-levelling |
| Setting time | Controlled by retarder addition |
Calcium sulphate-based binder for gypsum plasters, floor screeds, and self-levelling underlayments. Fast setting — requires set retarder (sodium gluconate, tartaric acid) for workability in GCC temperatures.
Enquire for availability →Calcium Aluminate Cement (CAC)
Aluminate-based hydraulic binder| Al₂O₃ content | 40–80% (various grades) |
| Properties | Fast strength, refractory, sulphate-resistant |
| Application | Repair mortars, refractory, sewage |
Rapid strength gain cement with excellent chemical and temperature resistance. Used in rapid-setting repair mortars, refractory castables, floor screeds, and sulphate-resistant applications for GCC industrial construction.
Enquire for availability →Quicklime & Hydrated Lime
CaO / Ca(OH)₂ | CAS 1305-78-8 / 1305-62-0| CaO content | ≥90% (quicklime) |
| Application | Masonry mortars, plasters, soil stabilisation |
| Grades | Building lime, dolomitic lime |
Traditional hydraulic binders for masonry mortars, lime plasters, and soil stabilisation. Hydrated lime also used as a plasticiser in cement mortars and as a filler in dry-mix systems for improved workability.
Enquire for availability →Waterglass — Powdery Alkali Silicates
Sodium/Potassium silicate | Powder grades| SiO₂:Na₂O ratio | 2.0–3.4 (various grades) |
| Application | Fire-resistant mortars, concrete hardeners |
Powder sodium silicate for fire-resistant dry-mix systems, surface hardeners, and geopolymer binders. Also used as an activator in alkali-activated cement systems for low-carbon concrete applications.
Enquire for availability →Rheological Additives
Rheological additives control water retention, open time, sag resistance, and application properties in dry-mix mortars. Cellulose ethers (HPMC, HEC) and starch ethers are the primary rheology additives used by GCC mortar manufacturers.
HPMC — Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose
CAS 9004-65-3 | Cellulose ether| Viscosity grades | 5,000 to 200,000 mPa·s |
| Key function | Water retention, thickening, sag resistance |
| Application | Tile adhesives, plasters, renders, EIFS |
| Thermal gel | Yes — gels on heating (GCC benefit) |
The primary cellulose ether in dry-mix construction — controls water retention and rheology across all mortar types. High-viscosity grades for tile adhesives and renders; lower viscosity for self-levelling and repair mortars.
View product →HEC — Hydroxyethyl Cellulose
CAS 9004-62-0 | Cellulose ether| Viscosity grades | 100 to 100,000 mPa·s |
| Solubility | Cold water soluble, no thermal gel |
| Application | Cement-free gypsum plasters, paint thickener |
Used in gypsum-based plasters where HPMC's thermal gelation behaviour is undesirable. Also used as a thickener in latex paints, adhesives, and personal care products. No substitution cost vs HPMC for gypsum systems.
View product →Starch Ether
Modified starch | Hydroxypropyl starch| Function | Sag resistance, water retention |
| Synergy | Works with HPMC (10–20% replacement) |
| Application | Tile adhesives, renders, EIFS |
| Cost | Lower cost vs HPMC — partial replacement |
Used as a partial replacement for HPMC (typically 10–20%) to reduce cost while maintaining sag resistance in tile adhesives. Improves workability and adhesion. Cannot fully replace HPMC — used in combination.
View product →Guar Ether — Hydroxypropyl Guar
Modified guar gum | Galactomannan derivative| Function | Thickening, water retention |
| Solubility | Cold water, rapid hydration |
| Application | Oil well cementing, construction grouts |
Fast-hydrating thickener for oil well cementing slurries and construction grouting. Provides viscosity control and fluid loss reduction. Also used in industrial cleaning formulations.
Enquire for availability →Polyacrylamide (PAM)
CAS 9003-05-8 | Anionic / Cationic / Non-ionic| Grades | Anionic, cationic, non-ionic |
| Application | Concrete, soil stabilisation, water treatment |
Used in concrete as a viscosity modifying agent (VMA) for self-compacting concrete (SCC) and underwater concrete. Also used in soil erosion control and water treatment applications.
Enquire for availability →Thixotropic Agents (Inorganic)
Attapulgite / Sepiolite / Bentonite| Function | Sag resistance, anti-settling |
| Application | Cementitious renders, grouts, primers |
Inorganic thixotropes for sag resistance in vertical applications and anti-settling in formulated products. Used in combination with cellulose ethers in high-build render systems.
Enquire for availability →Reinforcement Fibres
Cellulose Fibre
Natural cellulose | Flocculated / granulated| Fibre length | 0.2–2.0 mm (various grades) |
| Bulk density | 50–100 g/l |
| Function | Crack resistance, void formation, water retention |
| Application | Renders, EIFS, tile adhesives, fibre cement |
Cellulose fibres improve crack resistance, workability, and water retention in dry-mix mortars. Also used to create controlled void structures in lightweight renders, and as a processing aid in fibre cement board and fibre cement roofing.
View product →Polypropylene (PP) Fibres
Synthetic fibre | 6–18 mm monofilament| Fibre length | 6, 12, 18 mm |
| Function | Plastic shrinkage crack control |
| Dosage | 0.5–1.0 kg/m³ concrete |
| Application | Concrete, screed, shotcrete |
Micro PP fibres prevent plastic shrinkage cracking in fresh concrete — critical in hot, dry GCC conditions where rapid moisture loss causes early cracking. Used in concrete slabs, screeds, and precast elements.
Enquire for availability →Plasticisers & Superplasticisers
Plasticisers reduce water demand in mortars and concrete, improving flowability without compromising strength. PCE superplasticisers are the modern high-performance standard for self-compacting concrete, self-levelling floors, and high-strength mortars.
PCE — Polycarboxylate Ether Superplasticiser
Polycarboxylate polymer | Liquid & powder grades| Water reduction | 20–40% (vs reference concrete) |
| Dosage | 0.1–0.4% by weight of cement |
| Grades | Standard, slump-retaining, early-strength |
| Compatibility | All Portland cements, CAC |
Third-generation superplasticiser for high-performance concrete, self-compacting concrete (SCC), and self-levelling floor compounds. Powder grades available for dry-mix incorporation. Slump-retaining grades essential for GCC hot weather concreting.
View product →Lignosulphonate Plasticiser
Sodium / calcium lignosulphonate| Water reduction | 5–10% |
| Function | Plasticiser + mild set retarder |
| Application | Ready-mix concrete, masonry mortars |
Cost-effective first-generation plasticiser derived from wood pulp processing. Suitable for general-purpose concrete and masonry mortars. Slight retarding effect helps in hot GCC conditions.
Enquire for availability →Shrinkage-Reducing Additive (SRA)
Alkyl ether-based | Liquid powder admixture| Shrinkage reduction | 40–60% |
| Application | Floor screeds, bridge decks, repair mortars |
| Dosage | 1–2% by weight of cement |
Reduces drying shrinkage and associated cracking in concrete and mortars — particularly important for large-area floor slabs in GCC climate where rapid drying creates high shrinkage stress.
Enquire for availability →Set Retarders & Accelerators
Controlling setting time is critical in GCC conditions — high temperatures accelerate cement hydration significantly, reducing workability and open time. Set retarders extend working time; accelerators speed up strength gain for cold weather or fast-turnaround applications.
Sodium Gluconate — Set Retarder
CAS 527-07-1 | C₆H₁₁NaO₇| Purity | ≥98% |
| Function | Cement set retarder, plasticiser |
| Dosage | 0.05–0.3% by weight of cement |
| Advantage | Effective at high GCC temperatures |
Most widely used set retarder in GCC ready-mix concrete and dry-mix mortars. Also functions as a mild plasticiser. Effective in gypsum systems (used as tartaric acid alternative). High purity food/technical grades available.
View product →Calcium Formate — Set Accelerator
CAS 544-17-2 | Ca(HCOO)₂| Purity | ≥98% |
| Function | Early strength accelerator |
| Dosage | 0.5–2.0% by weight of cement |
| Application | Tile adhesives, repair mortars, renders |
Chloride-free accelerator that speeds up early strength development — essential for tile adhesives and repair mortars that need fast walkable strength. Preferred over calcium chloride in reinforced concrete due to zero chloride content.
Enquire for availability →Lithium Carbonate — Gypsum Accelerator
CAS 554-13-2 | Li₂CO₃| Function | Gypsum plaster accelerator |
| Dosage | 0.01–0.05% by weight of gypsum |
| Application | Gypsum plasters, self-levelling compounds |
Highly effective accelerator for gypsum-based plasters — accelerates setting time from several hours to minutes at very low dosage. Used when fast-setting gypsum plaster is needed for rapid construction programmes.
Enquire for availability →Air Entraining, Foaming & Gas-Forming Agents
Air Entraining Agent
Surfactant-based | Anionic| Function | Controlled air void entrainment |
| Air content | 3–6% in concrete |
| Application | Concrete, lightweight renders, masonry |
Entrains stable, uniformly distributed microscopic air bubbles in concrete and mortar. Improves freeze-thaw resistance, workability, and in lightweight renders, reduces density. Essential for EIFS base coats and thin-bed renders.
View product →Foaming Agent — Protein & Synthetic
Protein hydrolysate / Surfactant blend| Foam type | Protein or synthetic |
| Application | Foamed concrete, cellular concrete |
| Density range | 300–1,600 kg/m³ |
Used to produce lightweight foamed/cellular concrete for floor screeds, roof insulation, void filling, and non-structural lightweight partition blocks. Protein-based foams produce more stable bubbles and denser, stronger foamed concrete.
Enquire for availability →Gas-Forming Agent — Aluminium Powder
CAS 7429-90-5 | Micro-fine aluminium| Function | Hydrogen gas generation in alkaline media |
| Application | AAC blocks, expansive grouting |
| Dosage | 0.04–0.08% by weight of binder |
Fine aluminium powder reacts with Ca(OH)₂ in cement to generate hydrogen gas, creating cellular structure in autoclaved aerated concrete (AAC) blocks. Also used in expansive grout formulations for pre-stressed anchor bolt grouting.
Enquire for availability →Fillers, Pozzolana & Aggregates
Microsilica — Silica Fume
CAS 69012-64-2 | Amorphous SiO₂ ≥85%| Particle size | 0.1–0.3 μm |
| Function | Pozzolan, void filler, strength enhancer |
| Application | High-strength concrete, marine concrete |
Ultra-fine pozzolanic material that fills micro-voids between cement particles — dramatically improves compressive strength, permeability resistance, and durability. Essential for aggressive GCC marine and industrial environments. Used in ADNOC, Aramco, and major infrastructure specifications.
Enquire for availability →Fly Ash
ASTM Class C & F | Coal combustion product| SiO₂ + Al₂O₃ + Fe₂O₃ | ≥70% (Class F) |
| Function | Pozzolan, cement replacement, workability |
| Replacement level | 15–35% of cement |
Cost-effective cement replacement that improves workability, reduces heat of hydration, and enhances long-term strength and durability. Reduces CO₂ footprint — increasingly specified in Saudi Arabia Vision 2030 green building projects.
Enquire for availability →Microspheres & Microballoons
Glass / Ceramic hollow spheres| Particle size | 10–200 μm |
| Density | 0.15–0.60 g/cm³ (true density) |
| Application | Lightweight renders, insulating mortars, buoyancy |
Hollow glass or ceramic spheres used to produce lightweight, thermally insulating mortars and renders. Used in EIFS base coats, lightweight floor screeds, and offshore buoyancy syntactic foams for subsea applications in the Gulf.
Enquire for availability →Other Construction Additives
Powder Defoamer — Construction Grade
Hydrophobic silica / mineral oil compound| Form | Free-flowing powder |
| Function | Air void elimination in mortars |
| Application | Self-levelling, tile adhesives, renders |
Powder defoamer for dry-mix incorporation — eliminates undesirable air entrainment in self-levelling compounds and tile adhesives where a smooth, void-free surface is required. Compatible with all HPMC grades and RDP.
View product →Hydrophobising Agent
Stearate-based / silicone-based powders| Function | Water repellency, reduced absorption |
| Application | Renders, masonry mortars, plasters |
| Grades | Oleate, stearate, silicone emulsion |
Imparts water repellency to cementitious mortars and renders — essential for exterior facades in GCC coastal environments. Reduces capillary absorption while maintaining vapour permeability. Available as fatty acid salts (stearates) or silicone-based grades.
Enquire for availability →Expansive Additive
Aluminium-based / calcium sulphoaluminate| Function | Compensates shrinkage, expansion grouting |
| Application | Pre-stressed grouting, shrinkage compensation |
Used in precision grouting applications where shrinkage of the grout must be compensated — pre-stressed anchor bolt grouting, equipment base plate grouting, and non-shrink repair mortars for structural applications.
Enquire for availability →Iron Oxide Pigments
Red: CAS 1309-37-1 | Yellow: CAS 51274-00-1| Colours | Red, yellow, black, brown |
| Alkali resistance | Excellent — stable in cement |
| Application | Coloured concrete, paving, renders |
Synthetic iron oxide pigments are the standard colourant for cementitious systems — fully alkali-stable and lightfast. Used in coloured concrete paving, decorative renders, and coloured mortar joints. Available in red, yellow, black, and brown grades.
View product →Stabilisers — Viscosity Stabiliser
Welan gum / Diutan gum / modified biopolymers| Function | Segregation resistance in SCC |
| Application | Self-compacting concrete, grouts |
Viscosity-modifying agents (VMAs) that prevent segregation and bleeding in self-compacting concrete and highly fluid grouts. Biopolymer-based grades (welan gum) provide stability without excessive viscosity increase.
Enquire for availability →Defoamer — Liquid Construction Grade
Mineral oil / polysiloxane blend| Form | Liquid emulsion |
| Application | Ready-mix concrete, liquid admixtures |
| Dosage |
Liquid defoamer for ready-mix concrete production and liquid admixture manufacturing. Controls air entrainment from surfactant-containing admixtures. Compatible with all standard cement admixture formulations.
Enquire for availability →Source Your Construction Chemical Raw Materials from Raykem
From our offices in Dubai and Riyadh, Raykem supplies the complete range of dry-mix construction chemical raw materials to manufacturers across the GCC. COA + SDS with every shipment. SABER documentation for Saudi Arabia.