Plasticizers are a class of water reducing admixtures that are used to improve the workability of concrete. They are made up of a mixture of organic and inorganic substances.

The amount of plasticizer needed to be added to a cement mix depends on several factors. This includes the type of admixture and the amount of cement. Typically, plasticizers are added between one and four percent of the total weight of the cement.

In addition to improving the workability of the concrete, they also decrease the water-cement ratio. The decreased water-cement ratio leads to improved strength and durability of the concrete.

A typical plasticizer can reduce the water-cement ratio by up to 15 percent. Another advantage of using a plasticizer is that they can improve the look of a green concrete.

As a result of the adsorption of plasticizers on the cement particles, a film is formed that prevents the surface hydration reaction between water and the cement particles. Besides preventing surface hydration, the film also develops a repulsive force that repels the cement particles away from each other.

Superplasticizers are also able to increase the early strength of the concrete. In fact, they can improve the early strength by 50 to 75 percent.

However, there are some downsides to using superplasticizers. For example, the concrete is less sturdily compared to conventional concrete. Additionally, the use of superplasticizers can lead to rapid slump loss.

Superplasticizers are soluble macromolecules that can be found in liquid or powder form. Their chemical structure is characterized by the presence of carboxylic groups and ester groups. These compounds are hundreds of times larger than water molecules.