Biobased bouwen: De toekomst van bouwen

26 november 2024
Magnesium oxide platen, ook wel bekend als MgO-platen, zijn een veelzijdige bouwmateriaal. Ze worden gebruikt voor een breed scala aan toepassingen zoals gevels, binnenmuren, vloeren en plafonds. Soms denkt men dat dit zeer sterke bouwmateriaal niet goed tegen water zou kunnen. Hieronder vertellen we je hoe dat precies zit en waarom MgO-platen juist heel waterbestendig zijn.

Magnesium oxide and water

Magnesium oxide boards, also known as MgO boards, are a versatile building material. They are used for a wide range of applications, such as facades, interior walls, floors, and ceilings.
Sometimes, people believe that this highly durable building material might not perform well against water. Below, we will explain exactly how it works and why MgO boards are, in fact, highly water-resistant.

MAGOXX® boards are primarily made of magnesium oxide

Magnesium oxide is a very stable compound made up of molecules of magnesium and oxygen, which hardly react with water. The compound is highly stable because the magnesium atoms and oxygen atoms are strongly bonded through ionic bonds. In the process of using magnesium oxide as board material, a small amount of liquid magnesium sulfate is added. The combination of magnesium oxide and magnesium sulfate is then bonded into a paste, which is poured into a mold during the first part of the production process before being placed in the drying chamber. The result after drying is a very strong board, which, due to the strong molecular bonding between oxygen and magnesium, is highly water-resistant.

 

In addition, MgO is a hydrophobic compound, meaning it is water-repellent. This is because MgO has a high surface energy, which results in little interaction with water molecules. As a result, it is difficult for water molecules to penetrate the material, and they will quickly flow off.

In cases of extreme amounts of water exposure to the board (e.g., due to a leak), flower-shaped crystals may form on the board due to excess magnesium sulfate. The good news is that the boards maintain their strength and remain water-resistant. These “flowers” can be removed with a broom once the board is completely dry, and the quality remains the same.

MAGOXX and quality

So why do some people still believe that MgO boards are not water-resistant and thus unsuitable for applications like facade panels?

At the core, this misconception arises from the lack of mandatory quality certifications for magnesium oxide boards. As a result, uncertified variants of MgO boards are available on the market, where the formulation is often adjusted to lower costs. This adjustment typically involves adding extra sawdust or using magnesium chloride (a cheaper component) instead of magnesium oxide.

Our answer to this issue is that at MAGOXX, we have voluntarily subjected ourselves to quality inspections. A European certification typically costs more than €200,000 as an initial investment, plus an additional €25,000 for annual maintenance. This is not feasible for many other producers in China and some rogue manufacturers in Europe. As a result, many Chinese manufacturers often have a CE certificate that is copied from someone else. This is referred to as the “China Export certificate.

 

MAGOXX is KIWA and UL certified

Since the start of our factory, we have introduced a quality system for production (under the supervision of KIWA), as well as an annual audit at the factory by KIWA and UL. The resulting CE certificate with the DoP declaration forms the foundation for ensuring that our customers can use our boards with confidence.

Heb jij vragen over de waterbestendigheid van onze platen of wil je meer weten over onze certificeringen?

Do you have any questions about the water resistance of our boards or want to know more about our certifications? Check out our  technische datacertificeringen of bestel direct een gratis sample.