The present invention relates to cationic copolymers, a process for the production of these cationic copolymers and the use of these cationic copolymers as dispersants for geopolymer binder systems. These cationic copolymers where the cationic charge is due to the presence of certain cyclic and/or polycationic groups are stable towards Hoffmann elimination that would otherwise occur at very high pH values. Moreover, the dispersing effect of cationic polymers can be further enhanced through the addition of polyvalent anions.

The present invention concerns a polycarboxylate ether polymer to be used as a grinding aid during the grinding of cementitious materials, said polymer having sacrificial linkages that preferentially break inside the cement mill. The polymer can have a polycarboxylate ether structure comprising free carboxylic acid groups, neutralized carboxylic acid groups, at least one side chain A and at least one side chain B. The at least one side chain A comprises a group (AlkO).sub.m and the at least one chain B comprises a group (AlkO).sub.n, where AlkO represents an alkylene oxide, and m and n are integers with m<n.

A method for accelerating the strength of cement involves providing an activated fly ash processed to increase the surface area of the fly ash and reacting the activated fly ash with a polycarboxylate heteropolymer that acts as a catalyst to produce a pozzolanic cementitious material having as much as a 28% increase in strength (e.g., compressive strength). In one embodiment, the heteropolymer includes hydrophilic and hydrophobic components that assist in providing an optimal equilibrium for the formation of cementitious structures. The increase in strength permits reducing the amount of Portland Cement mixed with the pozzolanic cementitious material to as little as 30%, thus achieving a significant cost reduction.

A method for accelerating the strength of cement involves providing an activated fly ash processed to increase the surface area of the fly ash and reacting the activated fly ash with a polycarboxylate heteropolymer that acts as a catalyst to produce a pozzolanic cementitious material having as much as a 28% increase in strength (e.g., compressive strength). In one embodiment, the heteropolymer includes hydrophilic and hydrophobic components that assist in providing an optimal equilibrium for the formation of cementitious structures. The increase in strength permits reducing the amount of Portland Cement mixed with the pozzolanic cementitious material to as little as 30%, thus achieving a significant cost reduction.

A comb polymer is used for increasing the flow rate and/or reducing the viscosity of a mineral binder composition, where the comb polymer has a main chain including acid groups and there are pendent chains linked to the main chain, and where the average number-average molar mass of all of the pendent chains is from 120 to 1000 g/mol and the molar ratio of the acid groups to the side chains is in the range from 0.5 to 2.

A comb polymer is used for increasing the flow rate and/or reducing the viscosity of a mineral binder composition, where the comb polymer has a main chain including acid groups and there are pendent chains linked to the main chain, and where the average number-average molar mass of all of the pendent chains is from 120 to 1000 g/mol and the molar ratio of the acid groups to the side chains is in the range from 0.5 to 2.

The invention relates to a block copolymer for use as a dispersant for mineral binder compositions, containing an alkali activating agent. Said block copolymer comprises at least one first block A and at least one second block B, the first block A containing a monomeric unit M1 and the second block B containing a monomeric unit M2. A proportion of monomeric units M2, if any, in the first block A is less than 25 mol %, in particular less than or equal to 10 mol %, relative to all the monomeric units M1 in the first block A, and a proportion of monomeric units M1, if any, in the second block B is less than 25 mol %, in particular less than or equal to 10 mol %, relative to all the monomeric units M2 in the second block B.

The present invention relates to a copolymer, especially for use as a dispersant for solid particles, in particular for use as dispersant for mineral binder compositions, having a polymer backbone and side chains bonded thereto, comprising at least one ionizable monomer unit M1 and at least one side chain-bearing monomer unit M2, wherein the copolymer has a gradient structure in at least one section A in a direction along the polymer backbone with regard to the ionizable monomer unit M1 and/or with regard to the side chain-bearing monomer unit M2.

A method for producing a dispersant for solid particles, in particular a dispersant for mineral binder compositions. Ionizable monomers m1 and sidechain-carrying monomers m2 are polymerized to a copolymer, polymerization taking place as a living free radical polymerization.

The invention relates to a polymer which is obtainable by copolymerizing monomers comprising at least one ethylenically unsaturated monomer which comprises at least one acid group and at least one ethylenically unsaturated monomer (II) having polyether groups with 5 to 35 repeating units and at least one ethylenically unsaturated monomer (III) having polyether groups with 45 to 150 repeating units, the molar ratio of monomer (II) to monomer (III) being between 75:25 and 99.5:0.5. Further disclosed are the use of the polymer of the invention as an admixture for inorganic binder compositions, and a composition in powder form comprising an inorganic binder and the polymer of the invention.