Abstract:
The present invention is an admixture for cementitious compositions that provides both good flowability and high early strength as is desired in the art. The admixture of the invention includes a superplasticizer comprising a water-soluble modified acrylic copolymer and at least one accelerant selected from the group consisting of salts of thiocyanic acid, water-soluble alkanolamines, ethylene oxide adducts of ethylenediamine, and morpholine derivatives. The combination of the superplasticizer and the accelerant used in the invention surprisingly has a synergistic effect on the early compressive strength of the cementitious composition and also enhances the W/CM ratio and the flowability of the cementitious composition.
Abstract:
A high early strength admixture for precast hydraulic cement comprises a calcium salt and a copolymer having a carbon-containing backbone to which are attached cement-anchoring members, such as carboxyl groups, and to which are also attached oxyalkylene pendant groups by linkages selected from the group consisting of amide and imide members. The copolymers used are preferably formed by reacting an acrylic polymer with ammonia or an alkoxylated amine. The calcium salt, preferably calcium nitrite, and the copolymer can be added simultaneously as one admixture, or separately. The invention relates also to methods for enhancing high early strength in concrete, cement, masonry, and mortar mixtures generally, and to precast concrete particarly, and also pertains to such hydraulic mixtures containing the calcium salt and copolymer.