Super Plasticizers: Classification and Uses |

Concrete Technology
Article shared by :  <="" div="" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline:
0px; font-size: 12px; vertical-align: bottom; background: transparent; max-width: 100%;">

ADVERTISEMENTS:

In this article we will discuss about:- 1. Meaning of Super Plasticizers 2. Classification of

Super Plasticizers 3. Uses.

Meaning of Super Plasticizers:

Super plasticizers are also called high range water reducers. They are of recent origin
and relatively are more effective type water reducing admixtures. They were developed
in Japan and Germany during 1960 and 1970 respectively. Chemically they are different
from normal plasticizers. The dose levels of super plasticizers usually is higher than that
of (0.5 to 3.0%) conventional water reducers and (0.18 to 0.47) they have considerably
less undesirable side effects on the properties of concrete. As super plasticizers do not
reduce the surface tension of water to a great extent, they have not found to entrain
significant amount of air in concrete.

The use of super plasticizers can permit the reduction of water in the concrete mix upto
30% without producing any ill effect on the workability of the concrete i.e. without
reduction in the workability of concrete, where as normal plasticizers with doses upto 0.1
to 0.4% by weight of cement can reduce water content from 5 to 15%.

ADVERTISEMENTS:

Super plasticizers are used for producing flowing concrete to be used in inaccessible
locations, floors or where very quick placing is required. A self levelling and self-
compacting concrete is called flowing concrete. Super plasticizers are also used for the
production of high strength and high performance concrete. With the use of super
plasticizers, flowing concrete could be produced with the water/cement ratio as low as
0.25 or even less. The strength of such concrete was found 120 MPa (1200 kg/cm 2) or
more. The use of super plasticizers also made it possible to use the fly ash, slag and
silica fume to produce high quality concrete.
Classification of Super Plasticizers:
Following polymers are commonly used as base for super plasticizers:
1. Sulphonated melamine formaldehyde condensate (SMF)

2. Sulphonated naphthalene formaldehyde condensate (SNE)

ADVERTISEMENTS:

3. Modified Lignosulphonates (MLS)

4. Other types.

In addition to the above, following new generation super plasticizers are also used
in other countries:
(a) Multi-carboxylatethers (MCE)

ADVERTISEMENTS:

(b) Copolymer of carboxylic acrylic acid with acrylic ester (CAE)

(c) Poly carboxylate ester (PC)

(d) Cross linked acrylic polymer (CLAP)

(e) Acrylic polymer based (AP)

ADVERTISEMENTS:

(f) Combination of the above.

The first-four super Plasticizers differ from one another due to the base component or
due to different molecular weight. Probably the Sulphonated napthalene formaldehyde
condensate (SNF) is more effective in dispersing the cement. It is also found to have
some retaining properties. The dispersing action mainly is developed by the sulphonic
acid. The sulphonic acid gets adsorbed on the surface of cement particles, making them
negatively charged and mutually repulsive.

This action increases the workability at a given water/cement ratio, increasing the slump
from 75 mm to 200 mm. The resulting concrete is cohesive and not subjected to
excessive bleeding and segregation. The cohesiveness is found if fine aggregate is
increased by 4 to 5% and very angular and flaky coarse aggregate is avoided.

Each commercial product has been found to have different action on cements. The
dosage of conventional plasticizers does not exceed 0.25% by weight of cement in case
of lignosulphanates and 0.1% in case of carboxylic acids. The dosages of super
plasticizers like SMF and NSF are used as high as 0.5 to 3.0% as they do not entrain air,
but at the relatively high dosage they can produce undesirable effects as acceleration or
retardation in setting time. However they increase the air entrainment in concrete.

ADVERTISEMENTS:

Plasticizers and super plasticizers are water based. The solid contents may vary to any
extent in a product manufactured by different firms.

New Generation Super Plasticizers:

The super plasticizers are used for the following purposes:
1. To increase the workability of concrete without any change in the composition of the
mix.

2. To reduce the water content of mixing water, to reduce the water/cement ratio
resulting in increase of strength and durability of concrete.

3. To reduce cement and water contents in the concrete to reduce the cost of production
of concrete. The reduction in cement and water contents reduce the creep, shrinkage
and heat of hydration.

One of the most important draw backs of the traditional super plasticizers as
sulphonated melamine formaldehyde condensates (SMF) or Sulphonated naphthalene
formaldehyde Condensates (SNF) and Modified ligno-sulphate (MLS) is the slump loss.
The slump loss with time presents a serious limitation on the advantages of these super
plasticizers. To overcome this limitation, experiments were conducted in Europe and
Japan and they discovered new generation of super plasticizers recently.

The more recently developed all new generation super plasticizers are based on the
family of acrylic polymers (A, P). Out of these super plasticizers, the properties of the
following two super plasticizers namely carboxylated acrylic ester (CAE) Copolymer and
multi-carboxylatether (MCE) are discussed here.

The carboxylated Acrylic Ester Contains Carboxylic (COO) instead of sulphoric (SO 3)
groups present in the SNF and SMF. In the case of SNF and SMF dispersion of cement
grain was considered to be caused by the electrostatic repulsion, but the recent
experiments carried out by M. Collpardi et al and Y-0 Tanaka et al did not confirm the
above hypothesis for the mechanism of plasticizing action of the acrylic polymers.
The production of repulsive force known as zeta potential produced by acrylic polymers
(AP) and in SNF based super plasticizers is shown in Table 6.9, From the table it will be
seen that AP based super plasticizers produce negligible zeta potential change (0.3 to 5
mv) in contrast to SNF based super plasticizers (23.0-28.0 mv) in aqueous suspension
of cement particles as reported by Sakai E and Daiman M. in 1997.

Fig. 6.21 shows the adsorption of CAE and SNF on cement as a function of polymer
dose, as reported by Collpardi M. From the Fig. 6.21 it will be seen that the adsorption of
CAE is about 85% and that of SNF as 75% i.e. the adsorption of CAE is much more than
SNF. Fig. 6.22 shows the zeta potential of CAE and SNF on cement particles as a
function of polymer dose. From this Fig. 6.22 it will be seen that the zeta potential of
cement particles mixed with CAE is much lower than SNF.
Super plasticizers based on acrylic polymers show the following characteristics:
1. Flowing concrete can be produced at lower water/cement ratio.

2. The effectiveness of super plasticizer does not depend on the addition procedure
(immediate or delayed) as shown in Table 6.10 below.

3. The slump loss is much reduced in comparison of traditional sulphonated super

plasticizers.

From table 6.10 it will be seen that slump i.e. workability of concrete increases markedly
by adding NSF after mixing for 1 minute. Slump increase is found from 100 to 230 mm,
while in case of CAE plasticizers the effect of delayed addition of super plasticizer is
inappreciable i.e. the increase is from 230 to 235 mm only.

Fig. 6.23 shows the slump loss of CAE and NSF family super plasticizers. From this Fig.
6.23 it will be seen that with the use of (0.3%) CAE plasticizers the loss in slump is
negligible for agitating mix for150 minute where as in case of (0.4%) NSF slump reduces
from 230 mm to about 25 mm for agitating about 120 minutes.
Fig. 6.24 shows the effect of curing time on the 28 days compressive strength of
concrete. It will be seen from the Fig. 6.24 that in case of CAE super plasticizers the gain
in strength is mere even with reduced water/cement ratio than the NSF family super
plasticizers. Thus it can be said that the increase in compressive strength is due to the
ability of CAE to reduce more water content for the same workability. The effect of super
plasticizers is shown with different water/cement ratio on 1 to 3 days strength in Fig.
6.25.

Multicarboxylatether:
For the production of high performance concrete new generation super plasticizer
named multicarboxylatether (MCE) is found more effective.

The properties of these super plasticizers are found as follows:

1. The water reduction is found high.

2. At low water/cement ratio their flow ability is found excellent.

3. Lower slump loss with time is observed.

4. Shorter retardation time is observed.

5. Early strength is found very high.

6. The quantity of dose is low.

Problems Encountered at Site in the Use of Super Plasticizers:

Some of the practical problems encountered at site in the use of super plasticizers
are as follows:
1. Slump of concrete without plasticizer is known as reference mix.

2. Inefficient laboratory mixer used for trial.

3. Selection of plastizer and super plasticizer.

4. Determination of dosage.

5. Slump loss

6. Reduction of slump loss.

7. Casting of cubes

8. Compaction of concrete at site

9. Segregation and bleeding

10. Sequence of adding plasticizer

11. Problem with crushed dust

12. Problem with crushed sand

13. Grading of coarse aggregate

14. Compatibility with cement

15. Finishing

16. Removal of form work etc.

Out of the above problems maintenance of proper slump at the point of placing concrete
is very important.

Hence reduction in slump may be checked by taking any one or more of the
following steps:
1. Keeping initial slump high.

2. Using retarders.

3. Keeping low temperature.

4. By using retarder plasticizers or super plasticizers.

5. By using super plasticizer at final point.

6. By repetitive dose etc.

Use of Super Plasticizers:

The super plasticizers are used for the following purposes:
1. To produce more workable concrete than the concrete without the use of super
Plasticizer at the same water/cement ratio.

2. For the same workability, the use of super plasticizer permits the use of lower
water/cement ratio.

3. The use of super plasticizer also permits the reduction in cement content due to the
increase in strength.

4. The use of plasticizers also produces a homogeneous and cohesive concrete without
any tendency of segregation and bleeding.