Title:
Bio-Based Admixtures for Sustainable Concrete: Rheology and Hydration
Author(s):
Bright Asante, Renata Lorenzoni, Patrick R. Cunningham, Wolfram Schmidt
Publication:
Symposium Paper
Volume:
369
Issue:
Appears on pages(s):
37-48
Keywords:
Rheology; Yield stress; Hydration; Bio-based admixtures; Polysaccharide
DOI:
10.14359/51750720
Date:
5/1/2026
Abstract:
Sustainable concrete technologies are essential for reducing the environmental impact of cement and concrete production. Chemical admixtures play a central role in modern concrete by controlling flow behavior and hydration, which improves performance and reduces cement demand, particularly in systems incorporating supplementary cementitious materials. This study evaluates plant-derived admixtures sourced from water hyacinth, miscanthus, and plantain stem residue as sustainable alternatives to conventional polycarboxylate ether (PCE) superplasticizers. A combination of physicochemical characterization, rheology, and isothermal calorimetry was used to assess their performance in ordinary portland cement (OPC) systems. In simulated cement pore environments (i.e., Ca(OH)2 solution), bio-admixtures exhibited less negative zeta potentials and larger hydrodynamic radii which indicated weaker electrostatic stability and a tendency to form loose colloidal networks. Despite this, the bio-admixtures successfully adsorbed onto cement particles and moderately influenced hydration kinetics. Compared to PCE, which caused a delay in setting and early structuring, the bio-admixtures provided more balanced behavior by preserving workability while promoting gradual stiffening over time. Yield stress and penetration tests indicate that bio-admixtures can support early structuration without excessive retardation. These results suggest that plant-based polymers can be a pathway toward more locally adaptable alternatives to synthetic admixtures, thus, supporting the global need for sustainable concrete.
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