The effect of a blended polycarboxylate superplasticizer on the rheology of self-compacting concrete paste

2018FEREC-STD-023 Superplasticizers (SPs) are generally used as admixtures in Self-compacting concrete (SCC) and are added to cement systems to achieve the desired workability without increasing the water content.
The aim of this research was to investigate the effect of a blend of two polycarboxylate (PCE) superplasticizers on the rheological behavior of three different OPC cement pastes.
It was found that sulphate had an effect on SP adsorption and that the PCE SP with the greater average molecular weight within the blend displayed a stronger affinity towards the cement particles, therefore the desired fluidity could be achieved by tailoring the proportion of SP-polymers.