| 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 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 particularly, and also pertains to such hydraulic mixtures containing the calcium salt and copolymer. |