PMN Substance Application & Environmental Write up 

The PMN substance water solution is used for waterproofing of inorganic substrates. 

The PMN substance chemically reacts with the substrate and becomes part of the 

substrate. It changes the surface from hydrophilic to hydrophobic. There are many 

organosilicon based waterproofing products commercially available in the market. 

Most of these products contain organic solvents, up to 80 %, to achieve long term 

performance (over 10 years). The PMN substance contains ethylene glycol as 

solvent (60%). However it is diluted 10-500 times with water depending on the 

application to achieve same or better performance than solvent based products. The 

diluted solution (10 fold dilution) contains less than 70-g total VOC per 1-Kg and 

500 fold dilution contains less than 2-g . While solvent based product can contain 

400 - 800-g VOC per Kg. Therefore waterproofing application of the PMN 

substance reduces VOC 80-99 %. The ease of application is another factor. The 

PMN substance is non flammable as a concentrated or a diluted form. The 

applications of the PMN substance do not require specific handling of the flammable 

material and the workers are not exposed to toxic volatile solvent. 

The PMN substance can also be used to modify surface of the aggregates used for 

asphalt pavement. The PMN substance reacts with the surface of the aggregate makes 

them hydrophobic. The PMN substance solution is mixed with asphalt binder 

(approx. 0.1 %). When heated asphalt binder is mixed with hot aggregates the PMN 

substance is reacted with aggregates and provide better adhesion between aggregate 

and asphalt binder which provide better antistripping properties. The surface 

modification of the aggregates provides economic and environmental benefits (i) up 

to 5 % reduction of asphalt binder requirements, (ii) stronger bonding between asphalt 

binder and aggregates hence lesser chance of bond failure, (iii) surface modification 

provides waterproofing of the aggregates, resulting better protection against water, 

snow or ice, (iv) smaller aggregates can be used with the larger one, this provides 

better packing of the road surface hence reduces pothole and (v) all types of 

aggregates can be used because surface modification provides uniform bondability 

with asphalt binder. 

The PMN substance can also be used for cationic asphalt emulsion in water. It 

provides better wetting on the soil or aggregate road surface. The PMN substance 

allows faster drying and better adhesion in the tack coat or prime coat applications. It 

allows to reduce residual asphalt content by 20-30 %. 
PMN Substance Manufacturing 

in India 

100 Kg 

PMN Substance Packaging 

 in India Packaged in 1-Kg and 20- 

Kg or 1000 Kg containers as 

40 % solution in Ethylene glycol 

100 Kg PMN substance in 250 Kg 

solution.

Possible mixture of 

Solvent 

 Ethylene glycol 

150 Kg 

Export to 

USA

Distributor

Customer

2500-5000 Kg Water mixed 

with 250 Kg of PMN 

substance solution for 

waterproofing 

25000 Kg Water mixed 

With 250 Kg of the PMN 

substance solution

Application Dilution 

PMN substance 

4-2 % solution for 

waterproofing 

2750-5250 Kg 

And 

0.4 % solution for Soil 

Waterproofing 

25250 Kg 

A1

1

250 Kg PMN substance solution in Ethylene glycol is diluted with water to 2750 or 5250 Kg 

solution for waterproofing application. 2750 Kg solution can waterproof 110000 Ft2 

horizontal and 5250 Kg solution can waterproof 220000 Ft2 vertical surface area of the 

typical concrete. 

250 Kg PMN substance solution in ethylene glycol is diluted with water to make 25250 Kg 

solution for soil modification. This solution can waterproof approximately 100-200 tons 

soil.

PMN Substance Application Flow Chat 

Zycosil/Terrasil Application Waterproofing 
In these application flow charts, potential worker exposures to the PMN substance are indicated by A1 

and A2. The potential environmental release of the PMN substance is indicated by (1) and (2).

PMN Substance Manufacturing 

in India 

100 Kg Dissolved in Ethylene glycol 

to make 250 Kg 

PMN Substance solution Packaging 

in India 20 Kg or 1000 Kg 

Packaging 

Export to 

USA

Distributor

Asphalt Refinery (Manufacturer) or 

Asphalt Concrete Plant 

PMN substance mixed with 

Asphalt Binder or Asphalt 

Emulsion 

A2

2

PMN substance application Flow Chart 

Zycosoil and Nanotac for Asphalt Binder 
Environmental Fate 

The PMN substance is a solid mixture of organosilane quats. It is supplied as solution 

in ethylene glycol. This compound has reactive groups that can react with inorganic 

substrates such as soil, stone, aggregates and concrete etc. These inorganic substrates 

surface contains silanols groups (Si-OH). The PMN substance chemically reacts with 

these silanols groups at ambient conditions. The PMN substance treatment of these 

inorganic substrates forms Siloxane (Si-O-Si) bonds between surface and PMN 

molecules. Siloxane bond is one of the most stable bonds in nature. Therefore the PMN 

substance upon reaction creates very stable water repellent surface modification. This 

chemically bonded PMN substance does not leach out under normal soil environmental 

conditions. In presence of water, PMN substance treated surface is very stable and also 

it does not leach out in water. Therefore water does not get contaminated upon constant 

contact with PMN substance treated surfaces. The following diagram illustrates the 

partial reaction of PMN substance with silanol group on the surface of the inorganic 

bulk substrate. 

N Si

+

H3C O

OEt

EtO

H37C18

OH

H3C

Cl- + HO Si

O

O

O

Bulk

Bulk

Bulk

Silane Quat

Silanol group on inorganic surface

Si

N

+

CH3

EtO

C18H37

H3C

Si O

O

O

O

Bulk

Bulk

Bulk

O

OH

Cl-

+ HO CH3

Ethanol

Substrate Silanol reaction with silane quat

Similarly other two alkoxy groups of silane quat react with silanol groups on the surface