| HS Code | 245498 |
| Material | Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) |
| Color | Light yellow to ivory |
| Form | Short-cut monofilament fiber |
| Density | 1.30 g/cm³ |
| Cut Length | 12 mm |
| Fiber Diameter | 100 μm |
| Tensile Strength | 1600 MPa |
| Elastic Modulus | 40 GPa |
| Elongation At Break | 7% |
| Alkali Resistance | Excellent in high-alkaline cementitious environments |
| Chloride Content | Chloride-free / negligible |
As an accredited Kuraray RECS100L-PVA Fiber for Concrete Reinforcement factory, we enforce strict quality protocols—every batch undergoes rigorous testing to ensure consistent efficacy and safety standards.
| Packing | Packaged in 20 kg sealed bags, RECS100L PVA fibers are supplied as loose bundles to disperse evenly in concrete reinforcement. |
| Container Loading (20′ FCL) | Description: 20’ FCL container loading of Kuraray RECS100L PVA fiber, packaged in bags, for concrete reinforcement. Ensure proper secure stowage. |
| Shipping | Kuraray RECS100L-PVA Fiber for Concrete Reinforcement ships as palletized, moisture-protective sealed bags or bales. Use standard truck or ocean freight; keep dry and avoid direct exposure to rain, excessive compression, or contamination during transit. This product is not classified as dangerous goods under typical transport regulations, but secure loads properly. |
| Storage | Store RECS100L-PVA fibers in a cool, dry area inside sealed original packaging, protected from rain, moisture, and direct sunlight. Keep away from heat sources and contaminants. Ensure bags are not damaged. Under these conditions, the PVA fibers maintain performance, with a stable shelf life suitable for concrete reinforcement applications. |
| Shelf Life | Shelf life is indefinite when stored in original packaging in dry, shaded conditions away from moisture and direct sunlight. |
In wet-mix shotcrete for rock mass support where groundwater pH exceeds 8.5 and sulfate concentrations remain below 1,500 mg/L, replacement of steel fiber with Kuraray RECS100L polyvinyl alcohol fiber alters rebound, pumpability, and tensile crack control in ways that cannot be extrapolated from normal cast-in-place concrete. The fiber is dosed at 0.5% to 1.2% by concrete volume, equivalent to 6.5 kg/m³ to 15.6 kg/m³ based on a fiber density of 1.30 g/cm³. Compliance in procurement specifications typically references ASTM C1116/C1116M-23 Type III synthetic fiber concrete, ACI 506R-16, and EN 14889-2:2006 Clause 5.1 for dimensions and Clause 5.2 for alkali resistance. Batch production uses a twin-shaft mixer with a working volume of 1.5 m³; fibers are added after the initial wet mixing of cement, silica fume, aggregates, and high-range water reducer, at a feed rate not exceeding 8 kg/min through a vibrating screen to prevent agglomeration. The mix is discharged at a slump of 180 mm to 220 mm and conveyed through a twin-piston wet-mix shotcrete pump rated at 20 m³/h. At the nozzle, an alkali-free accelerator at 4% to 6% by weight of binder modifies setting time, and compressed air at 0.7 MPa propels the material onto the receiving face. Rebound is maintained below 15% when the maximum aggregate size is limited to 8 mm and the nozzle distance is held between 1.0 m and 1.5 m. Finished products include primary linings in drill-and-blast tunnels, temporary rock slope stabilization shells, and permanent shaft linings in hydroelectric access works. Operational boundaries include an upper dosage limit of 1.5% by volume, beyond which the nozzle orifice of 50 mm exhibits pulsed flow and localized fiber packing.
The compliance matrix in Table 1 summarizes the test designations required by procurement documents for PVA fiber reinforced shotcrete and cast-in-place concrete.
| Standard designation | Parameter controlled | Test method / clause | Typical requirement |
|---|---|---|---|
| ASTM C1116/C1116M-23 | Fiber-reinforced concrete, Type III synthetic fiber | Length, diameter, tensile strength | As declared by fiber manufacturer |
| EN 14889-2:2006 | Polymer fibers for concrete | Clause 5.2 alkali resistance | Retained tensile strength not less than 60% of declared value |
| ASTM C1609/C1609M-19a | Flexural performance | Third-point loading of beam | Residual loads at L/600 and L/150 |
| ASTM C1550-19 | Toughness | Round panel under central point load | Energy absorption not less than 40 J at 40 mm central deflection |
| ASTM C1399/C1399M-10 | Average residual strength | Cracked beam under third-point loading | Average residual strength in MPa |
| ACI 506R-16 | Shotcrete placement | Field control | Rebound, pumpability, in-place density |
Architectural precast concrete panels produced with white Portland cement and titanium dioxide pigment present a narrow rheological window when polyvinyl alcohol fiber is introduced. Addition rates between 0.25% and 0.75% by volume (3.3 kg/m³ to 9.8 kg/m³) are specified because higher dosages increase plastic viscosity above 200 Pa·s at a shear rate of 10 s⁻¹, causing visible pinholes at the form face after demolding. Compliance for CE-marked architectural cladding under EN 14889-2:2006 requires initial type testing according to Clause 6 and factory production control according to Clause 8. A REACH registration under EC 1907/2006 is available, and the fiber is not classified under CLP Regulation EC 1272/2008 for acute aquatic toxicity. Batching follows a three-stage sequence: cement, pozzolan, pigment, and fine aggregate are dry-mixed for 60 s, then water and polycarboxylate ether superplasticizer are added and mixed for 90 s, and finally fibers are dispersed over 90 s in a planetary counter-current pan mixer with a nominal capacity of 750 L. The mix is cast into steel molds and consolidated on a vibrating table operating at 50 Hz with an amplitude of 0.5 mm. Steam curing follows a controlled ramp of 15°C/h to a hold temperature of 60°C for 12 h, then cooling at 10°C/h to prevent thermal cracking. Terminal products include façade cladding panels, brise-soleil elements, and acoustic barrier segments. If the addition exceeds 0.75% by volume, the demolded surfaces exhibit fiber read-through and the slump measured by ASTM C143/C143M-20 falls below 80 mm, requiring a higher water/cement ratio that compromises the 45 MPa 28-day compressive strength target.
Placing ground-supported industrial slabs in automated logistics facilities at production rates of 40 m³/h requires the use of RECS100L at 0.3% to 0.6% by volume (3.9 kg/m³ to 7.8 kg/m³) to control plastic shrinkage cracking during the first 2 h after finishing without interfering with power trowel closure. Compressive strength and flexural residual strength are certified under ASTM C39/C39M-21 and ASTM C1399/C1399M-10, while slab design follows ACI 302.1R-15 joint spacing tables. The dry fiber is pre-dispersed into the central batching plant's aggregate stream before the cement paste reaches full saturation; entrained air of 4% to 6% by volume must be verified by ASTM C231/C231M-22 because higher fiber aspect ratio reduces air bubble stability. Placement is performed by a 10 m wide laser screed with automatic grade control, followed by double power troweling at 120 rpm and a final burnished pass at 160 rpm. The joint spacing for a 200 mm thick slab is extended from 4.5 m to 6 m when the residual strength ratio f_600/f_1 exceeds 0.40. Terminal products include narrow-aisle warehouse floors, AGV traffic slabs, and heavy-duty distribution center slabs. The operational limitation is that PVA fibers do not replace structural continuity at construction joints; dowel baskets are still required where point loads exceed 80 kN from racking uprights.
When bridge soffits and chloride-contaminated column bases require a low modulus repair layer that does not shrink excessively against the prepared concrete surface, the formulation incorporates 0.5% to 1.0% by fiber volume (6.5 kg/m³ to 13.0 kg/m³), silica fume at 8% to 12% by mass of cementitious binder, and a styrene-butadiene latex at a polymer-to-cement ratio of 0.10 to 0.15. Conformity with EN 1504-3:2005 Class R4 and ASTM C928/C928M-20 requires tensile bond strength above 2.0 MPa when tested by ASTM C1583/C1583M-13. Mixing uses a forced-action paddle mixer at 600 rpm; dry mortar is mixed with the latex-water blend for 120 s before fiber addition over 60 s, and the material is applied by trowel in lifts not exceeding 30 mm or by dry-spray with a 25 mm nozzle for overhead work. Surface preparation follows SSPC-SP13/NACE No.6 for concrete; the substrate is maintained in a saturated-surface-dry condition, and ambient relative humidity above 85% is required during curing for 7 days. Terminal products include bridge deck patch repairs, soffit rehabilitation layers, and balcony edge restoration. The formulated mortar loses slump after 45 min when mixed at ambient temperatures above 30°C; retempering with additional water is not permitted because it reduces the 28-day compressive strength below the 45 MPa R4 threshold.
Engineered cementitious composite (ECC) produced with RECS100L at 2.0% by volume (26.0 kg/m³) exhibits tensile strain capacity above 3% only if the matrix fracture toughness is maintained below 25 J/m² and the interface between fiber and cementitious matrix retains a frictional bond strength of 1.5 MPa to 3.0 MPa with low chemical bond. Mix design uses Type I ordinary Portland cement, Class F fly ash at a fly ash-to-cement ratio of 1.2 by mass, silica sand with a maximum particle size of 0.25 mm, and a polycarboxylate ether high-range water reducer at 1.5% by weight of binder. Water-to-binder ratio is fixed at 0.24 to 0.26. Processing in a high-shear mortar mixer begins with 180 s of paste mixing at 80 rpm, followed by sand addition and 120 s of dispersion, after which fibers are added gradually over 5 min at a reduced speed of 40 rpm to prevent fiber damage. The matrix is self-consolidating; no vibration is applied after casting. Flexural performance is certified under ASTM C1609/C1609M-19a and uniaxial tensile testing according to the Japan Society of Civil Engineers recommendations for high-ductility cementitious composites. Terminal products include bridge expansion link slabs, high-rise coupling beams, seismic infill panels, and patch overlays requiring ultimate tensile strain of 1% or higher. Batches exceeding 300 L without real-time torque monitoring show flocculation and loss of strain-hardening capacity, placing a scale-up boundary at 300 L per mixer cycle.
In submerged marine and aggressive water applications, chloride ingress and carbonation-induced pH reduction make carbon steel fiber susceptible to section loss and oxide jacking; RECS100L is selected because its polyvinyl alcohol polymer structure is resistant to hydrolysis at pH 4.0 to 12.5 and does not require cathodic protection. The concrete mix for precast breakwater armor units contains 1.0% to 1.5% by fiber volume (13.0 kg/m³ to 19.5 kg/m³) and is specified under EN 206:2013+A2:2021 exposure classes XS2 and XS3, with toughness tested by ASTM C1550-19 requiring energy absorption not less than 40 J at 40 mm central deflection. Batching uses a twin-shaft mixer with a 2.0 m³ batch capacity; fibers are placed into the mixer after the coarse aggregate and before the water to prevent floating. Molding is performed in steel forms with external vibrators at 3,000 rpm, and moist curing at 20°C for 7 days precedes transfer to a marine splash zone after 28 days of additional hardening. Terminal products include dolos armor units, precast culvert sections for tidal outfalls, and bridge pier encasement jackets. Published long-term chloride migration data for this specific fiber in XS3 configuration is limited, so project-specific diffusion testing by NT Build 492 or EN 12390-18 is required. The limitation is that the fiber does not provide sacrificial galvanic protection; reinforcing steel in splash zones must still be epoxy-coated or protected by impressed current cathodic prevention per ISO 12696:2016.
Competitive Kuraray RECS100L-PVA Fiber for Concrete Reinforcement prices that fit your budget—flexible terms and customized quotes for every order.
For samples, pricing, or more information, please contact us at +8615380400285 or mail to sales2@liwei-chem.com.
We will respond to you as soon as possible.
Tel: +8615380400285
Email: sales2@liwei-chem.com
Flexible payment, competitive price, premium service - Inquire now!
Kuraray RECS100L-PVA Fiber is a monofilament polyvinyl alcohol reinforcement fiber produced for cementitious matrices that require distributed microcrack control and secondary flexural toughness without metallic corrosion. The fiber is identified by a nominal linear density of 100 dtex, a cut length of 12 mm, and an effective diameter of approximately 0.10 mm, yielding an aspect ratio of 120:1. The PVA polymer is semicrystalline, with a density of 1.30 g/cm³ and a melting point near 225 °C. Unlike polypropylene macrofibers, the hydroxyl-bearing surface of PVA is hydrophilic, which reduces the film of mixing water that can otherwise act as a slip plane at the fiber-matrix interface. Product conformity is assessed under EN 14889-2:2006 for polymer fibres for concrete and ASTM C1116/C1116M for fibre-reinforced concrete.
In conventional concrete, the typical dosage is 0.6 kg/m³ to 1.5 kg/m³, equivalent to 0.05 vol% to 0.12 vol% and approximately 5 million to 12.5 million fibers per cubic metre using the nominal 100 dtex linear density. At these addition levels, the fiber functions primarily as early-age crack control and damage-resistance reinforcement, not as a replacement for primary structural bars. Field records from twin-shaft compulsory mixers show that the product disperses more uniformly when added after the coarse aggregate and a portion of the batch water; dry addition to aggregate before moisture creates fibrous masses that persist at the mixer discharge.
| Property | Nominal value | Reference method / basis |
|---|---|---|
| Linear density | 100 dtex | ISO 1973 / manufacturer batch data |
| Cut length | 12 mm | ISO 6989 / manufacturer batch data |
| Effective diameter | 0.10 mm | Calculated from linear density and density |
| Density | 1.30 g/cm³ | ISO 1183 |
| Tensile strength | 1,200 MPa | ASTM D3822/D3822M |
| Young’s modulus | 36 GPa | ASTM D3822/D3822M |
| Elongation at break | 7.5% | ASTM D3822/D3822M |
| Melting point | 225 °C | DSC per ISO 11357-3 |
The tensile strength of 1,200 MPa and Young’s modulus of 36 GPa place the product above polypropylene macrofibers and below steel fiber in stiffness and strength. The elongation at break of 7.5% permits crack bridging at small crack openings but is lower than many polypropylene macrofibers, meaning that once a crack localizes, fiber rupture can occur before complete pullout if the embedment length is short. The hydrophilic character of PVA creates a chemical bond to the cement matrix that is higher than that of polyolefin fibers. In single-fiber pullout, the interfacial bond is often high enough to produce fiber rupture rather than pullout at embedment lengths above 0.5 mm; the exact transition depends on matrix strength and fiber diameter. This rupture-dominated response contributes to early-age crack control but can limit post-crack ductility in high-strength matrices because the fiber may snap before frictional sliding fully develops. The melting point of 225 °C creates an operational upper boundary; continuous curing above 180 °C is not recommended without specific trial validation because published data for RECS100L in autoclaved systems are limited.
At 0.6 kg/m³ to 1.5 kg/m³, the fibers are distributed as discrete monofilaments rather than fibrillated networks. In a twin-shaft compulsory mixer with a batch volume of 3 m³, the recommended sequence is to introduce the fiber after 70–80% of the mixing water and the coarse aggregate have been charged. A post-fiber mixing period of 3–5 min at 12–18 rpm is generally sufficient. For ready-mixed concrete in truck drums, 5 min at 10–12 rpm after fiber addition is common. The product should not be added to dry aggregate before water; field reports from central mixing plants describe fiber balling at the discharge gate when this sequence is used, particularly in mixes with coarse sand and low water-to-cement ratio.
Slump reduction is dosage-dependent. At 0.6 kg/m³, the fall is commonly 10–20 mm; at 1.5 kg/m³, it may reach 25–40 mm depending on aggregate gradation and paste volume. Increasing water content to compensate is not acceptable because it raises the water-to-cement ratio and reduces compressive strength. A polycarboxylate ether superplasticizer conforming to ASTM C494/C494M Type A or Type F can restore workability without adding water. Air content should be verified with ASTM C231/C231M, because the fiber surface can alter air-void coalescence during placement and vibration.
Overdosing beyond 2.0 kg/m³ introduces a processing cliff-edge in low-workability mixes: the fresh concrete may transition from pumpable to non-pumpable over a 0.2 kg/m³ increment when the paste volume is below 280 L/m³. The exact threshold varies with mixer geometry, aggregate shape, and superplasticizer dosage; therefore, trial batching is required when the target dosage exceeds 1.5 kg/m³. In high-shear counter-current mixers, mixing beyond 10 min after fiber addition has been observed to increase fiber entanglement and decrease finishability, but published data for this specific configuration are limited.
Shotcrete and precast placement impose different constraints. In wet-process shotcrete, the fiber is added at the batch plant; the nozzle operator verifies homogeneous fiber distribution before accelerator injection because alkali-free accelerators can create local stiffening around fiber clumps. In dry-process units, the fiber is combined with aggregate and cement at the batching line and passes through the pneumatic feed; the density of 1.30 g/cm³ limits the segregation that occurs with steel fiber. In precast tunnel segments, dosage levels of 0.6–0.9 kg/m³ have been used to reduce demolding edge damage, but project-specific flexural testing under ASTM C1609/C1609M is needed to verify residual strength.
The substitution decision depends on the required post-crack strength and the exposure environment. Steel fiber at 20–40 kg/m³ yields higher residual flexural strength because steel has a Young’s modulus of approximately 200 GPa, compared with 36 GPa for RECS100L. A one-for-one volumetric substitution of PVA for steel is not appropriate where structural load redistribution depends on high post-crack strength. In corrosion-sensitive slabs, however, RECS100L eliminates the rust bleeding and surface spalling associated with near-surface steel fiber; its density of 1.30 g/cm³ is also lower than steel at 7.85 g/cm³.
| Fiber class | Density | Tensile strength | Young’s modulus | Matrix interaction / durability |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RECS100L PVA | 1.30 g/cm³ | 1,200 MPa | 36 GPa | Hydrophilic surface; alkali-resistant; non-corroding |
| Steel fiber | 7.85 g/cm³ | 1,000–1,500 MPa | 200 GPa | High modulus; corrosion risk in cracked, wet exposure |
| Polypropylene macrofiber | 0.90–0.95 g/cm³ | 300–600 MPa | 3–10 GPa | Hydrophobic; lower interfacial bond; alkali-resistant |
| Alkali-resistant glass fiber | 2.68 g/cm³ | 1,700–3,500 MPa | 72 GPa | High modulus; requires AR formulation; brittle fracture |
Relative to polypropylene macrofiber, RECS100L has higher tensile strength and modulus, a more hydrophilic fiber-matrix interface, and a lower dosage required for equivalent plastic shrinkage crack control in restrained slab tests evaluated under ASTM C1579-21. Polypropylene macrofibers often require higher addition rates to compensate for weaker frictional pullout resistance, and their low modulus limits crack-width restraint once cement paste separates. Against alkali-resistant glass fiber, PVA provides lower modulus but greater apparent ductility because it elongates approximately 7.5% before rupture, whereas AR glass fails at roughly 2–3% elongation. The PVA surface also does not release the sharp respirable splinters associated with brittle glass fiber breakage during mixing and finishing.
Because compressive strength tests cannot capture residual flexural capacity, fiber-reinforced concrete containing RECS100L is specified using ASTM C1609/C1609M-19a beam tests for flexural residual strength and ASTM C1579-21 for restrained plastic shrinkage cracking. General material requirements fall under ASTM C1116/C1116M; European specification is EN 14889-2:2006. The manufacturer’s batch certificate typically reports cut length, linear density, tensile strength, and density. A quality management system certified to ISO 9001:2015 covers production; however, conformity to the product standard does not guarantee the concrete mixture design, which remains the responsibility of the concrete producer.
Internal vibration can orient fibers perpendicular to the vibrating head if the poker is inserted vertically and withdrawn slowly; orientation affects flexural residual strength measured by ASTM C1609/C1609M. In production, external form vibrators for precast elements may create layered fiber orientation, with higher fiber concentration near form faces. This spatial anisotropy means that cube or cylinder compressive specimens are unsuitable for verifying fiber distribution; sawed beams from full-depth cores or test panels are required.
Storage conditions are 5–35 °C and <65% RH in closed packaging; PVA is hygroscopic, and moisture regain above 2% can affect auger feeding in automatic dosing systems. The fiber should not be used as primary reinforcement or in structural applications where yield-line calculations rely on steel area. In air-entrained concrete, trial batching is required because the fiber surface can shift the air-void spacing factor measured under ASTM C457/C457M. Extended mixing beyond 10 min after fiber addition is not recommended; the operational limit is mixer-specific, but excessive shear can damage the monofilament and lower its crack-bridging efficiency.
For slab-on-grade applications, finishing should be timed before fiber fuzzing becomes pronounced. Power troweling with worn blades can expose surface fibers, producing a hairy finish that requires subsequent burnishing or pan finishing. A dosage of 0.6–0.9 kg/m³ is typical for machine-troweled warehouses, while 1.0–1.5 kg/m³ is reserved for slabs with higher early-age restraint or exposed exterior weathering. The concrete should be cured with a liquid membrane compound conforming to ASTM C309 or equivalent, because evaporation before final set can leave surface fibers partially debonded from the paste.
