Hydraulic binder composition

1. A process for improving a cement or fibrocement article's resistance to water uptake, the process comprising:

mixing a composition comprising

(i) a cement;

(ii) an aqueous solution or dispersion of at least one organic compound comprising at least two hydrophilic functions and a hydrophobic chain, or a polyamide oligomer comprising less than 20 repeating units; and

(iii) an additive selected from the group consisting of a latex and fibers,

wherein the composition has a water/cement ratio of greater than 1 and less than 3.75; and

then forming one or more superposed layers of the composition on a surface of the article wherein each layer of the composition has a thickness of less than 5 centimeters.

2. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the composition comprises from 0.05% to 10% by weight of the organic compound relative to the total weight of hydraulic binder.

3. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the composition comprises from 0.1% to 15% by weight of the latex relative to the total weight of hydraulic binder.

4. The process according to claim 2 , wherein the composition comprises from 0.1% to 10% by weight of fibers relative to the total weight of hydraulic binder.

5. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the hydrophilic functions of the organic compound are acid, acid halide or acid anhydride functions.

6. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the organic compound comprises a hydrophobic chain which is an aliphatic, arylaliphatic, aromatic or alkylaromatic chain.

7. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the hydrophobic chain has from 2 to 30 carbon atoms.

8. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the organic compound is succinic acid, sebacic acid, adipic acid, octanedioic acid, decanedioic acid, dodecanoic acid, brassylic acid, glutaric acid, or a salt thereof.

9. The process according to claim 8 , wherein the organic compound is a mixture of adipic acid, glutaric acid and succinic acid.

10. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the latex is a water-insoluble film-forming polymer prepared from at least one ethylenically unsaturated monomer.

11. The process according to claim 10 , wherein the ethylenically unsaturated monomer is styrene, butadiene, C 1 -C 12 alkyl acrylic, methacrylic ester, a corresponding acid thereof, or a vinyl ester.

12. The process according to claim 10 , wherein the water-insoluble film-forming polymer is selected from the group consisting of vinyl homopolymers, acrylate homopolymers, copolymers of vinyl acetate, copolymers of styrene/butadiene, copolymers of styrene/acrylate, copolymers of acrylic esters and copolymers of styrene/butadiene/acrylate.

13. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the fibers are selected from the group consisting of glass fibers, carbon fibers, steel fibers, polyamide fibers, polyester fibers, polyvinyl alcohol) fibers, polypropylene fibers and poly(acrylonitrile) fibers.

14. The process according to claim 1 , wherein said hydraulic binder is based on at least one compound selected from the group consisting of calcium silicate, calcium sulfate and calcium phosphate.

15. A process for manufacturing an article of cement or fibrocement having improved resistance to water uptake, the process comprising forming one or more superposed layers on a surface of the article, wherein each layer has a thickness of less than 5 centimeters and wherein each layer is formed with a composition comprising (i) a cement and (ii) en aqueous solution or dispersion of at least one organic compound comprising at least two hydrophilic functions and a hydrophobic chain, or a polyamide oligomer comprising less than 20 repeating units, and wherein the composition has a water/cement ratio of greater than 1 and less than 3.75.