Preparation of p-isopropylphenol polyoxyethylene ether and evaluation of its performance in concrete

Abstract

P-isopropenylphenol polyoxylates (IPP-PE) were obtained by alkoxylation reaction using p-isopropylphenol phenol (IPP) and ethylene oxide (EO) as raw materials, and P-PCE polycarboxylic acid superplasticizer was obtained by free radical polymerization of ipp-PE and acrylic acid (AA) under the action of initiator and chain transfer agent. The effects of reaction temperature, acid-ether ratio, amount of chain transfer agent and initiator, and reaction time on the dispersion properties of superplasticizer were studied, and the molecular structure and microscopic morphology of the superplasticizer were characterized by FTIR,1HNMR, and SEM, and the influence of superplasticizer on concrete properties was evaluated by concrete performance tests. The test results determined that the optimal synthesis process of polycarboxylic acid superplasticizer was as follows: reaction temperature 40 °C, n(AA):n(IPP-PE)=6:1, chain transfer agent and initiator were 0.4% and 0.6% of the mass of large monomer, respectively, and the reaction time was 4.5h. The experimental results of the concrete performance test showed that the workability of concrete mixed with the self-made superplasticizer was excellent, and the initial and 1h longitudinal flowability of the superplasticizer reached 228 mm and 215 mm, respectively. The water reduction rate reached 36%, the 28d compressive strength reached 56.8 MPa, the initial slump reached 226 mm, and it had a certain retarding and air entrainment effect.