Synthesis and characterization of a high performance polycarboxylic acid water reducing agent

The optimal synthesis process conditions of polycarboxylic acid water reducers were investigated and characterized by infrared spectroscopy as well as GPC using high performance polycarboxylic acid water reducers synthesized by isoproterenol polyoxyethylene ether polymerized with acrylic acid and introducing unsaturated monomeric dibasic ester. The results showed that the optimum synthetic process conditions were as follows: acid-ether ratio of 3.0:1, amount of binary ester as 2.8% of monomer mass, amount of initiator as 0.35% of monomer mass, amount of chain transfer agent as 0.35% of monomer mass; the initial slump and initial expansion of the concrete of the synthetic water-reducing agent PCE-H were greater than those of the commercially available polycarboxylic acid water-reducing agent PCE-W, and the working performance of the concrete was better. PCE-H also has no adverse effect on strength.