Hydrophilicity as a measure of the efficiency of the superplasticisers

This paper presents the results of chemical structural investigations of four new-generation superplasticizers (denoted here as SP-A through SP-M2) used in concrete production engineering. The commercial product samples, the gel permeation chromatography (GPC) and the Fourier-Transformed Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) test methods were applied to the research. The effect of superplasticizers on the rheological properties of cement pastes was tested. The performance of a superplasticizer, i.e. the reduction of plastic viscosity, was demonstrated to be enhanced by:  hydrophilicity of the SP polymer –understood as the ratio of hydrophilic ethers to hydrophobic esters in the polymer chain, SP polymer content in the bulk of the commercial product sample, weight-average molecular weight (Mw) of the SP polymer. The above relations were confirmed for  the studied superplasticizers– the derivatives of: acrylic acid (SP-A1 and SP-A2) and maleic acid (SP-M2 and SP-M1). The efficiency of superplasticizers was found to decrease with the contents of the free poly(ethylene glycols) (PEGs) which remained unreacted with acids and/or anhydride. The superplasticizers based on the maleic anhydride derivatives (SP-C and SP-D) proved to be more efficient and to slow down the hydration process to a much higher extent than the superplasticizers – acrylic acid derivatives (SP-A1 and SP-A2).