One of the downsides to traditional concrete is that it is not very resistant to acid. This can be a major problem in industrial plants that use acidic solutions in their day-to-day operations. Any acid that happens to get on the floor can wind up eating away the binders in the concrete, causing it to fail prematurely. Not only can removing and replacing the old concrete be costly but it can also disrupt work, resulting in downtime that can cut into profits.
The main problem with traditional concrete is the calcium-based binder that is found in Portland cement. Acids are quick to eat away at this binder, significantly weakening the structure of the concrete until it eventually fails.
Fortunately, there are ways to get around this problem. Traditionally, refractory companies that used acids had to rely on epoxy coatings or other types of surface coatings to help protect their flooring from the acid. These days, however, there are new types of concrete on the market that use potassium silicate rather than Portland cement.
Silicate-based cement is far more resistant to acid than traditional Portland cement. As a result, it is far less likely to succumb to deterioration when exposed to acid over a long period of time. There are, of course, exceptions. Some acids can still eat through this type of concrete. For the most part, however, it is far more resistant to acids than traditional cement.
When it comes to where to buy acid resistant concrete, your best bet is to talk to a concrete specialist in your area. Such as Rongshengrefractory.com will be able to custom order it for you. If that fails, you can also reach out to manufacturers who make online. They should be happy to provide you with a list of retailers in your area that have their products available for sale.