US 20040224869A1

(19) United States

(12) Patent Application Publication (10) Pub. No.: US 2004/0224869 A1
Lane et al. (43) Pub. Date: Nov. 11, 2004
(54) DEFOAMER FOR CONCRETE Related U.S. Application Data
ADMIXTURES
(63) Continuation-in-part of application No. 10/228,380,
filed on Aug. 27, 2002, now abandoned.
(75) Inventors: Jose
Donald R. Lane, Richfield, OH (US);
A. Melendez, North Canton, OH Publication Classification
(US) (51) Int. Cl. ................................................... C11D 9/34
(52) U.S. Cl. .............................................................. 510/347
Correspondence Address: (57) ABSTRACT
James A. Hudak, Esq.
Suite #304 The present invention is directed to a defoaming agent for
29425 Chagrin Blvd. use with polycarboxylate based admixtures for concrete.
Cleveland, OH 44122-4602 (US) The defoaming agent is comprised of tributyl phosphate, an
alkylaryl Sulfonic acid metallic Salt and a modified alky
lpolyalcoxy ester. Tributyl phosphate is a phosphate ester
(73) Assignee: Tomahawk, Inc. based defoamer and the modified alkylpolyalcoxy ester is an
air detraining agent. The alkylaryl Sulfonic acid metallic Salt
(21) Appl. No.: 10/872,258 is used as a hydrotrope to ensure that the tributyl phosphate
and the modified alkylpolyalcoxy ester react and do not
(22) Filed: Jun. 18, 2004 Separate.
US 2004/0224869 A1 Nov. 11, 2004

DEFOAMER FOR CONCRETE ADMIXTURES air content with a normal dosage of an air entraining agent
in the concrete meets ASTM specifications.
TECHNICAL FIELD
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED
0001. The present invention relates, in general, to a EMBODIMENT
defoaming agent for concrete admixtures and, more particu
larly, to a defoamer for use with polycarboxylate based 0006 The present invention overcomes the problems
admixtures for concrete. asSociated with the use of those Superplasticizing admixtures
for concrete that have a significant capacity for generating
BACKGROUND ART air. One of the most highly effective Superplasticizers is a
polycarboxylate based admixture. It has been found that
0002 Polycarboxylate based admixtures are highly effec polycarboxylate based admixtures significantly reduce the
tive Superplasticizers for concrete. Such admixtures signifi amount of water required in the concrete, however, they also
cantly reduce the amount of water required in the concrete. generate a significant amount of air, thus requiring the use of
The use of polycarboxylate based admixtures, however, a defoaming agent. Such defoaming agents typically cause
creates an inherent problem in that they generate a signifi the resulting combination to become very viscous and
cant amount of air, and thus, require the use of a defoaming Separation into the individual components can occur. The
agent. It has been found that Such defoaming agents cause defoaming agent of the present invention overcomes these
the resulting admixture to become very Viscous and Sepa problems and is comprised of the following:
ration of the components therein can occur. Thus, the
defoaming agents that are presently available for use with
polycarboxylate based admixtures do not produce accept Tributyl Phosphate 30 to 70% (By weight)
able results. Alkylaryl Sulfonic Acid Metallic Salt O.5 to 5%
Modified Alkylpolyalcoxy ester 30 to 70%
0003. As for other Superplasticizing admixtures for con
crete, napthalene formaldehyde condensate or melamine 100%
formaldehyde condensate are typically used. The use of Such
Superplasiticizers typically results in a reduction in the
amount of water required in the concrete and an increase in 0007 Examples of an alkyarylsulfonic acid metallic salt
the overall strength of same. Rather large dosages of these are Sodium Xylene Sulfonate, Sodium toluene Sulfonate and
Superplasticizers are typically required in order to accom potassium toluene Sulfonate, and examples of a modified
plish water reduction, however, if the dosage is increased, alkylpolyalcoxy ester are ethylene/propylene glycerol ester
the rate of set of the concrete is retarded. It has been found and alkyl ethylene ester. In this case, the alkylaryl Sulfonic
that if polycarboxylate material is used as the Superplasti acid metallic Salt is used as a hydrotrope to ensure that the
cizer, the amount of water reduction and increase in concrete tributyl phosphate and the modified alkylpolyalcoxy ester
Strength is greater than if napthalene formaldehyde conden react and do not separate. It has been found that when up to
Sate or melamine formaldehyde condensate is used. In 7% of the foregoing defoaming agent is added to a poly
addition, if polycarboxylate material is used as the Super carboxylate based admixture, the amount of air generated in
plasticizer, the dosage required as compared to the dosage the concrete is Significantly reduced and the concrete con
required of napthalene formaldehyde condensate or taining the aforementioned admixture meets ASTM Speci
melamine formaldehyde condensate is less. Furthermore, if fications of 5-7% air content. A higher air content in the
polycarboxylate material is used as the Superplasticizer and concrete significantly reduces the Strength of Same.
the dosage of Same is increased, the amount of water 0008. In essence, the present invention is a water soluble
reduction in the concrete is further increased and the rate of
Set of the concrete is not affected. defoaming agent that can be used to control the air entrain
ing properties in polycarboxylate based admixtures which
0004. In view of the foregoing, it has become desirable to are used as Superplasticizers in concrete. In this case, tributyl
develop a defoaming agent for polycarboxylate based phosphate is a phosphate ester based defoamer but is not
admixtures in which the components do not separate and in water soluble. Tributyl phosphate is blended with the modi
which the Viscosity of the resulting combination is main fied alkylpolyalcoxy ester which is another ester and which
tained. has extremely good air detraining properties. The alkylaryl
Sulfonic acid metallic Salt is added to the tributyl phosphate
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION and the modified alkylpolyalcoxy ester and acts as a croSS
linking coupling agent. In essence, the alkylaryl Sulfonic
0005 The present invention solves the problems associ acid metallic Salt croSS-links the phosphate portion of the
ated with defoaming agents presently available for polycar tributyl phosphate with the double bond in the carbonyl
boxylate based admixtures for concrete by providing a group in the modified alkylpolyalcoxy ester by means of a
defoaming agent comprising tributyl phosphate, an alkylaryl co-Valent electronic bond, making the non-polar ends polar,
Sulfonic acid metallic Salt and a modified alkylpolyalcoxy and thus, making the resulting combination water Soluble.
ester. Tributyl phosphate is a phosphate ester based The use of an alkylaryl Sulfonic acid metallic Salt as a
defoamer and the modified alkylpolyalcoxy ester is an air hydrotrope produces a Single phase Stable formulation in the
detraining agent. The alkylaryl Sulfonic acid metallic Salt is non-Soluble composition. In essence, the hydrotrope pre
a hydrotrope that ensures that the tributyl phosphate and the vents the liquid products from Separating into layers, thus
modified alkylpolyalcoxy ester react and do not separate. ensuring homogeneity. In addition, its ionic nature causes
When up to 7% of the aforementioned defoaming agent is the resulting polarity of the new composition to be Such that
added to a polycarboxylate based admixture, the resulting the new composition is water soluble. Water is a polar
US 2004/0224869 A1 Nov. 11, 2004

Substance and thus, is considered to be the “universal comes the inherent problem of air generation and foaming
Solvent'. When a hydrotrope is used, non-polar molecules asSociated with polycarboxylate based admixtures, and thus,
become polar and the resulting composition becomes water permits polycarboxylate based admixtures to be readily
Soluble. utilized to obtain the benefits of water reduction, an increase
0009. The composition of the present invention lowers in the Strength of the concrete and the use of lower dosages
the Surface tension of the polycarboxylate based admixture when compared with other types of Superplasticizers.
causing the resulting Solution to hold significantly leSS air. 0011 Certain modifications and improvements will occur
Thus, the amount of air generated by the use of polycar to those skilled in the art upon reading the foregoing. It is
boxylate based admixtures is significantly reduced resulting understood that all Such modifications and improvements
in the formation of less foam. have been deleted herein for the Sake of conciseneSS and
0.010 With respect to other Superplasticizing admixtures, readability, but are properly within the scope of the follow
napthalene formaldehyde condensate or melamine formal ing claims.
dehyde condensate are typically used. Such Superplasticizers We claim:
typically result in a water reduction of 12-25% in concrete 1) A defoaming agent for use with concrete admixtures
and a 150% increase in the overall strength of the concrete. comprising tributyl phosphate, an alkylaryl Sulfonic acid
These Superplasticizers typically require dosages of 10-32 metallic Salt and a modified alkylpolyalcoxy ester.
ounces per one hundred pounds of cement. However, as 2) The defoaming agent as defined in claim 1 wherein said
more napathalene formaldehyde condensate or melamine tributyl phosphate amounts to about 30 to 70% by weight of
formaldehyde condensate is used, the rate of Set of the Said defoaming agent.
concrete is retarded. In contrast, if a Superplasticizer Such as 3) The defoaming agent as defined in claim 1 wherein said
a polycarboxylate based admixture is utilized, the water alkylarylsulfonic acid metallic salt amounts to about 0.5 to
reduction is 15-40%, the resulting Strength increase in the 5% by weight of Said defoaming agent.
concrete is 200% and a dosage of only 2-8 ounces per one 4) The defoaming agent as defined in claim 1 wherein said
hundred pounds of cement is required. In addition, if a modified alkylpolyalcoxy ester amounts to about 30 to 70%
polycarboxylate based admixture is utilized and the dosage by weight of Said defoaming agent.
of Same is increased, water reduction is further increased and
the rate of set is not affected. The present invention over k k k k k