Additive composition for hydraulic cement compositions

Claim 2

A set-accelerating, compressive strength-enhancing additive composition for hydraulic cement compositions, said additive composition consisting essentially of (a) a major amount of a chloride, formate or nitrite salt set-acclerating agent or mixture thereof, (b) from about 1 to about 6 percent by weight of an amine, and (c) from about 0.15 to about 3 percent by weight of a synthetic surface active agent having the following characteristics: (1) a cloud point as defined herein not exceeding about 80° centigrade; and (2) a mechanically-induced agitated foam height as defined herein of less than about 30 millimeters.

Claim 3

The composition of claim 1 wherein said set accelerating agent is calcium chloride.

Claim 4

The composition of claim 1 wherein said surface active agent is non-ionic and is selected from the group consisting of (a) alkyl aryl polyether alcohols; (b) block copolymers of alkylene glycols or alkylene diamines with propylene oxide and ethylene oxide; (c) acetylinic glycols and reaction products thereof with alkylene oxides; (d) and mixtures thereof.

Claim 5

The composition of claim 1 wherein said amine is an alkanol amine or mixture of such.

Claim 6

The composition of claim 1 additionally containing a small amount of the condensation product of octylphenol with sufficient ethylene oxide to give in excess of 50 percent poly(oxyethylene) in the total molecule, said amount being sufficient to render said component, more soluble in water and thereby prevent such component from separating out from an aqueous mixture containing such additive composition.

Claim 7

The composition of claim 1 wherein said surface active agent exhibits a surface tension as a 0.01% aqueous solution at 25° C. of less than about 55 dynes per centimeter.

Claim 8

The composition of claim 1 wherein said surface active agent is a block copolymer of an alkylene glycol and one or more alkylene oxides.

Claim 9

The composition of claim 1 wherein said surface active agent is a block copolymer prepared by adding either propylene oxide and then ethylene oxide, or ethylene oxide followed by propylene oxide to ethylene glycol.

Claim 10

The composition of claim 8 wherein said surface active agent possesses a said "cloud point" in the range of about 20° to 35° C. and a said foam height in the range of about 10 to 20 millimeters.

Claim 11

The composition of claim 8 wherein said surface active agent is prepared by adding propylene oxide followed by ethylene oxide to propylene glycol and further wherein (a) the molecular weight of the poly (oxypropylene) portion of the copolymer ranges from about 950 to about 1750, and the percent poly (oxyethylene) portion in the total copolymer molecule is from about 10 to about 50; (b) said molecular weight is from about 1750 to about 2750 and said percent poly (oxyethylene) is from about 10 to about 30; or (c) said molecular weight is from about 2750 to about 4000 and said percent poly (oxyethylene) is from about 10 to about 20.

Claim 12

The composition of claim 10 wherein said molecular weight ranges from about 1450 to about 3000, and said percent poly (oxyethylene) is between about 15 to about 35.

Claim 13

The composition of claim 8 wherein said surface active agent is prepared by adding ethylene oxide followed by propylene oxide to propylene glycol and (a) the molecular weight of the poly (oxypropylene) portion is about 2500 and the percent poly (oxyethylene) units in the total copolymer molecule is in the range of about 10 to 80, or (b) said molecular weight of the said poly (oxypropylene) portion is about 3100 and said poly (oxyethylene) units is about 10 to 40.

Claim 14

The composition of claim 1 wherein said surface active agent is a non-ionic alkyl aryl polyether alcohol.

Claim 15

The composition of claim 13 wherein said polyether alcohol is a condensation product of an alkylphenol with ethylene oxide.

Claim 16

The composition of claim 14 wherein said condensation product has less than about 50 percent poly (oxyethylene) in its total molecule.

Claim 17

The composition of claim 15 wherein the percent poly (oxyethylene) in the total molecule is in the range of from about 35 to about 50.

Claim 18

The composition of claim 1 wherein said surface active agent is a non-ionic acetylinic glycol or an alkoxylated product thereof.

Claim 19

The composition of claim 17 wherein said surface active agent is a tertiary acetylinic glycol.

Claim 20

The composition of claim 18 wherein said glycol is 2,4,7,9-tetramethyl-5-decyn-4,7 diol.

Claim 21

The composition of claim 17 wherein said surface active agent is a reaction product of ethylene oxide and said acetylinic glycol.

Claim 22

The composition of claim 20 wherein said product contains 3.5 to 10 moles of ethylene oxide per mole of acetylinic glycol.

Claim 23

The composition of claim 1 wherein said surface active agent is a block copolymer of ethylene diamine, ethylene oxide and propylene oxide.

Claim 24

The composition of claim 22 wherein the molecular weight of the poly (oxypropylene) portion of said copolymer ranges from about 2500 to about 4500 and the percent poly (oxyethylene) units in the total polymer molecule ranges between about 10 up to about 20.

Claim 25

A hydraulic cement composition consisting essentially of a hydraulic cement and from about 0.10 to about 2 percent by weight based upon said cement of the additive composition according to claim 1.

Claim 26

The composition of claim 24 wherein said cement is Portland cement.

Claim 27

The composition of claim 24 to which is added water sufficient to give a water to cement ratio of from about 0.4 to 0.6.

Claim 28

The composition of claim 24 wherein said cement is a structural concrete composition possessing a compressive strength as measured after 28 days of hydration in excess of 2000 p.s.i.