Synthesis, characterization, and application of the sodium poly(styrenesulfonate) produced from waste polystyrene cups as an admixture in concrete

Wasted polystyrene (PS) plastic cups were used in the synthesis of sodium poly(styrenesulfonate) (NaPSS). The produced polyelectrolyte was water‐soluble. The viscosimetric molecular weight was 126,146 g mol −1 . The sulfonation of the polymer was estimated through FTIR spectroscopy and chemical analysis of the number of sulfonic groups. The presence of bands at 1326 and 1188 cm −1 in the infrared spectra was characteristic for sulfonic groups. The polymer was obtained with 60.3% of sulfonation. An aqueous solution of NaPSS was used as an admixture in concrete of portland cement. The results showed that the slump increasing of the concrete was up to 300% with 0.3% content of NaPSS per weight of cement. It was possible to reduce the water content of the concrete in 13.2% using NaPSS solution as an admixture. The compressive strength gain was 23.9% after 28 days of curing. The results indicated that NaPSS, produced from waste PS cups, can be satisfactorily used either as a plasticizer or as an admixture for water reduction in concrete.