Hydrophobic, cationic polymers for treating construction aggregates

1. A composition comprising:

(i) a water-reducer for modifying hydratable mortar or concrete; and

(ii) at least one copolymer obtained from monomer components as follows:

(A) a cationic monomer represented by one of the following structures

wherein

R 1 , R 2 , and R 3 each independently represent hydrogen, —CH 3 , or —COOH;

R 4 , R 5 , R 6 , R 7 , and R 8 each independently represent a C 1 -C 4 alkyl group;

R 9 and R 10 each independently represent hydrogen or —CH 3 ;

Z 1 represents —O— or —NH—;

Y 1 represents —CH 2 CH(OH)CH 2 — or C 1 -C 6 alkyl group; and

X represents a halide, pseudohalide, or sulfate; and

(B) a hydrophobic, essentially water-insoluble monomer selected from the group consisting of vinyl acetate, acrylonitrile, styrene and its derivatives, vinyl ether of formula CH 2 ═CH—O—R 11 in which R 11 is a group selected from a linear or branched, saturated or unsaturated, hydrocarbon radical moiety having from 1 to 6 carbons, and ester or amide represented by the formula H 2 C═CR 12 —CO—Z 2 —R 13 in which R 12 is a hydrogen or C 1 to C 3 alkyl group, Z 2 is —O— or —NH—, and R 13 is a linear or branched, saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbon radical moiety having from 1 to 8 carbons;

wherein said water reducer is selected from the group consisting of lignin sulfonate, naphthalene sulfonate formaldehyde condensate (NSFC), melamine sulfonate formaldehyde condensate (MSFC), and mixture thereof.

2. The composition of claim 1 wherein said copolymer has a molecular weight of 1,000-100,000.

3. The composition of claim 1 , wherein said copolymer has a molecular weight of 2,000-60,000.

4. The composition of claim 1 , wherein said copolymer has a molecular weight of 5,000-50,000.

5. The composition of claim 1 wherein the molar ratio (A:B) of said first monomer component (A) to said second monomer component (B) is 0.75:0.25 to 0.98:0.02.

6. The composition of claim 1 wherein the molar ratio (A:B) of said first monomer component (A) to said second monomer component (B) is 0.80:0.20 to 0.95:0.05.

7. The composition of claim 1 wherein each of R 7 and R 8 are —CH 3 groups, and each of R 9 and R 10 are hydrogen.

8. The composition of claim 1 wherein Z 1 is oxygen and Y 1 is —CH 2 CH 2 —.

9. The composition of claim 1 wherein Z 1 is —NH— and Y 1 is —CH 2 CH 2 CH 2 —.

10. The composition of claim 1 wherein said copolymer has two or more monomer components which are represented by said structures of said monomer component (A).

11. The composition of claim 1 wherein said copolymer has two or more monomer components which are represented by said structures of said monomer component (B).

12. The composition of claim 1 wherein said copolymer further comprises a monomer selected from the group consisting of acrylamide, methacrylamide, alkyl acrylamide, dialkyl acrylamide, alkyl methacrylamide, dialkyl methacrylamide, polyalkyleneoxide acrylate, polyalkyleneoxide methacrylate, and polyalkyleneoxide ether.

13. The composition of claim 1 further comprising gluconate, EO/PO polymer, or mixture thereof.

14. The composition of claim 1 further comprising a cement binder.

15. The composition of claim 1 further comprising aggregates.

16. The composition of claim 14 further comprising aggregates.

17. The composition of claim 1 further comprising an admixture chosen from set retarders, set accelerators, defoamers, air entraining agents, surface active agents, or mixtures thereof.

18. A concrete composition comprising the composition of claim 1 .

19. An aggregate composition comprising the composition of claim 1 .

20. The aggregate composition of 19 further comprising a gluconate and EO/PO polymer.