Retarders superplasticizers

The superplasticizers are a special category of water-reducing agents in that they are formulated from materials that allow much greater water reductions, or alternatively extreme workability of concrete in which they are incorporated. This is achieved without undesirable side effects such as excessive air entrainment or set retardation. 

The three major types of raw materials used in superplasticizers, SNF, SMF, and polyacrylates are shown in Fig. 2.1, which also illustrates the three different types of polyacrylates. Minor amounts of other materials are often added such as triethanolamine (to counteract retardation), tributyl phosphate (to cut down excessive air entrainment) and hydroxycarboxylic acid salts or lignosulfonates (to increase retardation). In addition proprietary superplasticizers can be blends of two of the main ingredients. 

Earlier work [37] by one of the authors indicated that superplasticizers of the SNF and SMF type were less strongly adsorbed onto the hydrating cement than normal water-reducing agents and this was used to explain why there was less retardation by the superplasticizers. This... 

The C3S phase is not as strongly retarded as for the individual material because the C3A strongly adsorbs a large proportion of the superplasticizer preferentially. 

With a direct addition of superplasticizer to obtain highly workable concrete, initial and final setting times are invariably increased in the order SMF < SNF < polyacrylates. At normal dosages this increase rarely exceeds two hours for materials that are not intentionally formulated to retard. 

Compatibility with other admixtures due to the inherent surfactant properties exhibited by most of the materials in classes A, B and C, their use with other admixtures such as water reducers should be evaluated in terms of the side effects on the plastic and hardened concrete, viz. severe set retardation and excessive air entrainment. The molecules of materials with fewer surfactant properties compete with the superplasticizer for adsorption sites on the cement particle. This will result in a higher dosage of the superplasticizer. 

With some cement-superplasticizer combinations, various problems have been reported such as low fluidification effect, rapid slump loss, severe segregation, extended set retardation and loss of entrained air. These are briefly reviewed below. 

Abnormal retardation of superplasticized mixes The factors responsible for extended retardation of superplasticized mixes are closely related to the Blaine surface area and to the chemical composition (mainly the C3A content) of the cement used to produce it it is also dependent upon the SP dosage, the prevading ambient... 

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