Effect of the molecular structure of monocyclic aromatic polymer on the application properties of concrete

New water-soluble monocyclic aromatic (MA) polymers, including sulfonated phenol-formaldehyde polymer (SPF), aminosulfonate-phenol-formaldehyde polymer (AS) and aminosulfonate-phenol-salicylic acid-formaldehyde polymer (AH), were synthesized. The molecular structure of the MA polymers was characterized by gel permeation chromatography and infrared spectroscopy. The application properties of the MA polymers in concrete were also evaluated. The test results showed that the MA polymers have approximately the same molecular weight. The molecular structure of the SPF polymer was observed to have more-SO 3 and fewer-OH groups than the other polymers and exhibits a high percentage of water-reduction percentage, high slump loss and poor workability-preservation properties. The molecular structure of the AS and AH polymers features-SO 3 and-COOH as dispersion groups, and OH and-NH 2 as fluidity preservation groups, such that they exhibit better water-reducing capacity, workability-preservation properties, retardation of the setting time for cement paste and higher compressive strengths for concrete than the SPF polymer at the same curing time and dosage.