Admixtures for concrete and mortar with MgO-based binders: a review from RILEM TC 311-MBC
8 affiliations
- 1F.A. Finger-Institut für Baustoffkunde, Bauhaus-Universität Weimar, Coudraystrasse 11, 99423 Weimar, Germany
- 2School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Technology Sydney (UTS), Sydney, NSW 2007 Australia
- 3Fibre and Particle Engineering Research Unit, University of Oulu, Pentti Kaiteran Katu 1, 90014 Oulu, Finland
- 4Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, Laboratory for Concrete and Asphalt, Überlandstrasse 129, 8600 EmpaDübendorf, Switzerland
- 5Institute of Geological Sciences, Mineralogy Group, University of Bern, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
- 6Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Institute for Building Materials (IfB), ETH Zurich, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland
- 7Department of Civil and Mechanical Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, 2800 Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
- 8Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong China
Abstract
Magnesia-based cements are an emerging, potential low-CO2 alternative to Portland cements. Admixtures, which control workability, setting and hardening are crucial for the application of these novel binders in mortar and concrete mixtures. However, research and development in this field are not yet well advanced. Working Group 4 of RILEM TC 311-MBC 'Magnesia-based binders in concrete' critically reviewed recent advances and further perspectives in the field of admixtures for magnesium silicate and magnesium carbonate cements and concretes, focused mainly on plasticizers, accelerators and retarders. Alkali phosphates are very efficient plasticizers, especially for magnesium silicate cements. Also, polycarboxylate ethers work, when rather high dosages are applied, despite that current products are designed for Portland cements. Furthermore, alkali phosphates act both as hardening accelerators and retarders, depending on the type of magnesia-based cements. Carbonates, silicates and organic salts, i.e. magnesium acetate, have been used as hardening accelerators, while certain metal cations and organic anions such as citrate and gluconate have been used as retarders. However, further research is needed to develop admixtures specifically for these two groups of magnesia-based cements which facilitate good workability and strength development.
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BibTeX
@article{muller2026admixtures,
title = {{Admixtures for concrete and mortar with MgO-based binders: a review from RILEM TC 311-MBC}},
author = {Matthias Müller and Sanket Rawat and Hoang Nguyen and Clélia Bouchaud-Deliot and Raphael Kuhn and Dan Meng and Pauline Quiatchon and Jishen Qiu and Navid Ranjbar and Zeyu Zhou and Frank Winnefeld},
journal = {Materials and Structures},
year = {2026},
month = nov,
doi = {10.1617/s11527-026-03345-5},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1617/s11527-026-03345-5},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Admixtures for concrete and mortar with MgO-based binders: a review from RILEM TC 311-MBC
AU - Matthias Müller
AU - Sanket Rawat
AU - Hoang Nguyen
AU - Clélia Bouchaud-Deliot
AU - Raphael Kuhn
AU - Dan Meng
AU - Pauline Quiatchon
AU - Jishen Qiu
AU - Navid Ranjbar
AU - Zeyu Zhou
AU - Frank Winnefeld
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/11/04
JO - Materials and Structures
DO - 10.1617/s11527-026-03345-5
UR - https://doi.org/10.1617/s11527-026-03345-5
AB - Magnesia-based cements are an emerging, potential low-CO2 alternative to Portland cements. Admixtures, which control workability, setting and hardening are crucial for the application of these novel binders in mortar and concrete mixtures. However, research and development in this field are not yet well advanced. Working Group 4 of RILEM TC 311-MBC 'Magnesia-based binders in concrete' critically reviewed recent advances and further perspectives in the field of admixtures for magnesium silicate and magnesium carbonate cements and concretes, focused mainly on plasticizers, accelerators and retarders. Alkali phosphates are very efficient plasticizers, especially for magnesium silicate cements. Also, polycarboxylate ethers work, when rather high dosages are applied, despite that current products are designed for Portland cements. Furthermore, alkali phosphates act both as hardening accelerators and retarders, depending on the type of magnesia-based cements. Carbonates, silicates and organic salts, i.e. magnesium acetate, have been used as hardening accelerators, while certain metal cations and organic anions such as citrate and gluconate have been used as retarders. However, further research is needed to develop admixtures specifically for these two groups of magnesia-based cements which facilitate good workability and strength development.
SN - 1359-5997
SN - 1871-6873
ER -