Triethanolamine(TEA) has an important role in concrete,it can be used as grinding-aid agent（cement grinding aids) in cement producing process,and it can also be used to formulate high performance concrete admixture,early strength concrete admixture is one of those high performance concrete admixtures.
Triethanolamine(TEA) can accelerate hydration and hardening of Portland cements,this characteristic makes triethanolamine plays an important role in early strength concrete admixture. The early strength of concrete is much improved when concrete is added with early strength concete admixture formulated from triethanolamine.
Triethanolamine can improve the early strength of concrete,but it doesn't mean that the more adding the improvement is higher,it is recommended to add at rate of 0.02% to 0.03%,but it must determined by test before used to certain concrete,If adding rate is higher than 0.03%,triethanolamine may retard the setting of concrete.
Besides triethanolamine,calcium chloride,sodium chloride,aluminium chloride,sodium sulfate,potassium sulfate,calcium sulfate,calcium nitrite and sodium nitrate etc.,are used to formulate early strength concrete admixtures,but chloride salts,for example,sodium chloride,calcium chloride can't be used to formulate concrete admixtures that used in concrete containing reinforce bar and other steel. Chloride will corrode reinforce bar and other steels,it is harmful.