Concrete outside of the laboratory is a much abused material and the general attitude until recent years towards admixtures was of one of disbelief or disinterest. Perhaps it is because concrete has been used for so long and has become common place, that we do not regard it as a complex composite material. Admixtures are capable of imparting considerable physical and economical benefits with respect to concrete; although they are by no means, substitute for poor quality mix ingredients, for use of incorrect mix proportion, or for poor workmanship in transport, placing, compaction and curing.

Admixtures are capable of imparting considerable physical and economical benefits with respect to concrete; although they are by no means, substitute for poor quality mix ingredients, for use of incorrect mix proportion, or for poor workmanship in transport, placing, compaction and curing. Multichem had been offering extremely high quality and varied admixtures with an aim to impart the following properties.

To modify properties of Fresh concrete, mortar and grout so as to:

• Increase workability without increasing water content or decrease the water content at the same workability
• Retard or accelerate time of initial setting
• Reduce or prevent settlement or create slight expansion
• Modify the rate and/or capacity for bleeding
• Reduce segregation
• Improve pump ability
• Reduce the rate of slump loss

To modify properties of Hardened concrete, mortar and gout so as to:

• Retard or reduce heat evolution during early hardening
• Accelerate the rate of strength development at early ages
• Increase strength (compressive, tensile, or flexural)
• Increase durability or resistance to severe conditions of exposure, including application of deicing salts
• Decrease permeability of concrete
• Control expansion caused by the reaction of alkalies with certain aggregate constituents