Effects of Polycarboxylate Superplasticizers with Different Functional Units on Early Hydration Behavior of Cement Paste

Effects of polycarboxylate superplasticizers (PCEs) with different functional units on the flowability, hydration heat, and hydration products of cement paste were investigated. Two kinds of functional units, the sulfo unit and the amide unit, were mentioned, and four series of PCEs with different monomers were synthesized. It was proved that different functional units had varying influence on fluidity, induction period, heat flow peak, and the amount of hydration products of cement paste. Moreover, a modified model for explaining cement paste hydration with PCEs was propounded to describe the aforementioned effects.