Description

Sodium gluconate is mainly used as a kind of retarding admixtures. Retarding admixtures (retarders) are known to delay hydration of cement without affecting the long-term mechanical properties. They are used in concrete to offset the effect of high temperatures, which decrease setting times, or to avoid complications when unavoidable delays between mixing and placing occur . 
   

Use of set retarders (sodium gluconate) in concrete pavement construction:

1) enables farther hauling, thus eliminating the cost of relocating central mixing plants;

2) allows more time for texturing or plastic grooving of concrete pavements;

3) allows more time for hand finishing around the headers at the start and end of the production day;

4) helps eliminate cold joints in two-course paving and in the event of equipment breakdown .

    Retarders (sodium gluconate) can also be used to resist cracking due to form deflection that can occur when horizontal slabs are placed in sections . Because of these advantages, set retarders (sodium gluconate) are considered the second most commonly used admixtures in the highway industry, especially in the construction of bridge decks .