MC-Bauchemie Centrament Plast 200
A dependable lignosulphonate-based water-reducing admixture from MC-Bauchemie that trims mix water, sharpens workability and adds durable strength to everyday concrete.
What is it?
A standard, chloride-free plasticising and water-reducing concrete admixture based on lignosulphonate chemistry, supplied as a ready-to-use brown aqueous solution.
Where is it used?
Ready-mix and site-batched concrete across housing, commercial, precast and infrastructure work where a Type A/Type D water-reducer is specified.
Why use it?
It lowers water demand by 5 to 10 percent at constant slump, so the same grade is reached at a lower water-cement ratio, denser matrix and higher 28-day strength.
How is it applied?
Dosed at 0.2 to 0.5 percent by mass of cement, added to the gauging water or straight into fresh concrete at the batching plant or mixer, then mixed normally.
About MC-Bauchemie Centrament Plast 200
MC-Bauchemie Centrament Plast 200 is the workhorse plasticiser in the Centrament admixture range, engineered for producers who want reliable water reduction without the cost or dosage sensitivity of a high-range superplasticiser. It is built on well-proven lignosulphonate chemistry and supplied as a brown, water-thin solution that disperses instantly into the mix. For most Indian ready-mix plants and site batching operations, it is the admixture that quietly does the day-in, day-out job of turning a stiff, water-hungry mix into a cohesive, pumpable, well-finishing concrete while keeping the water-cement ratio in check.
Its appeal to engineers and contractors lies in predictability. The product is chloride-free, so it is safe for reinforced and prestressed sections, and it carries a mild, controllable retardation that suits warm-weather placing and longer haul times. It conforms to ASTM C494 as a Type A water-reducer and, at the upper dosage, a Type D water-reducing-retarder, and meets IS 9103 Type 2. That dual classification is what makes it flexible: the same drum can be tuned for a standard water reduction on one pour and a longer working window on the next, simply by adjusting dosage within the recommended band.
The technical insight
The mechanism is deflocculation. In a plain cement paste, freshly wetted cement grains carry uneven surface charges and clump together into flocs that trap pockets of mix water. That trapped water does nothing useful for workability, so the batcher is forced to add extra water just to make the concrete move, and every litre of that extra water dilutes strength and raises permeability. Centrament Plast 200 adsorbs onto the cement particle surfaces and imparts a uniform negative charge, so the grains repel one another through electrostatic repulsion aided by a steric effect. The flocs break down, the trapped water is released back into the mix, and the same slump is achieved with markedly less water. Reducing the water-cement ratio by 5 to 10 percent tightens the capillary pore structure as the paste hydrates, which is precisely why the hardened concrete gains roughly 3 to 5 MPa at 28 days and becomes measurably less permeable rather than simply more fluid.
Where it is used
- Ready-mix concrete production where consistent, economical water reduction is needed across large volumes
- Site-batched structural concrete for columns, beams, slabs and rafts
- Pumped concrete requiring improved cohesion and reduced line friction
- Precast and prestressed elements where a chloride-free admixture is mandatory
- Mass concrete pours such as foundations and water-retaining structures where the mild retardation aids heat control
- Waterproofing-grade concrete mixes where a low water-cement ratio and dense matrix reduce permeability
- General-purpose reinforced concrete where a normal (non-high-range) plasticiser is specified
- Warm-weather concreting where a small extension of setting time keeps the mix workable during transport and placing
Key advantages
- Reduces mix water by 5 to 10 percent at constant slump, lowering the water-cement ratio and cost per cubic metre
- Adds approximately 3 to 5 MPa to 28-day compressive strength through a denser, better-hydrated matrix
- Chloride-free, so it is fully safe for reinforced and prestressed concrete
- Improves cohesion and reduces bleeding and segregation for cleaner finishes and easier pumping
- Compatible with OPC and all common blended cements (PPC, PSC, fly-ash and slag blends)
- Mild, predictable retardation suits Indian summer placing and longer transit times
- Simple, forgiving dosing window with low risk of the slump loss or over-fluidity seen with aggressive superplasticisers
- Economical everyday admixture that reserves higher-cost superplasticisers for genuinely high-performance mixes
Limitations & considerations
- A normal-range plasticiser, not a high-range superplasticiser, so it cannot achieve the very high water reduction or self-compacting flow needed for high-strength or SCC mixes
- Water reduction of 5 to 10 percent is modest compared with 20 percent or more from PCE-based superplasticisers
- Overdosing beyond the recommended band increases retardation and can noticeably delay setting and early strength, especially in cold weather
- Must not be combined with calcium chloride accelerators, which limits use where rapid early strength via chloride accelerators is desired
- Being lignosulphonate-based, it can entrain a small amount of air; trial mixes are advisable where air content is tightly controlled
- As with all admixtures, performance varies with cement source and aggregate, so site trial mixes are essential before final dosage is fixed
Selection & best practice
Fix the working dosage by trial mix rather than by assumption. Start near the lower end of the 0.2 to 0.5 percent by mass of cement band (200 to 500 mL per 100 kg cement) and adjust to hit your target slump at the reduced water content. Add the admixture to the gauging water, or directly to freshly mixed concrete, and never to dry cement or aggregate; then extend mixing long enough to disperse it uniformly. Do not exceed the recommended dosage to chase extra fluidity, as this mainly buys unwanted retardation. Keep it away from calcium chloride accelerators. Store the drums in shade between roughly 5 and 40 degrees Celsius, keep them sealed against evaporation, and stir before use if the product has stood. For any mix carrying an air-content limit, or when switching cement source, run a fresh trial batch and verify slump, air and early strength before scaling to production.
Specifications
| Product type | Standard plasticising, water-reducing admixture (lignosulphonate-based) |
| Chemical base | Lignosulphonate |
| Appearance | Brown aqueous solution |
| Chloride content | Nil (chloride-free) |
| Recommended dosage | 0.2 to 0.5% by mass of cement (200 to 500 mL per 100 kg cement) |
| Water reduction | 5 to 10% at constant slump vs. reference concrete |
| Effect on setting | Mild retardation, typically 0.5 to 1.5 hours extension of initial set |
| 28-day strength gain | Approx. 3 to 5 MPa improvement |
| Standards | ASTM C494 Type A / Type D; IS 9103 Type 2 |
Industry use cases
Ready-Mix Concrete Plants
A high-volume RMC producer standardises Centrament Plast 200 as its everyday water-reducer, trimming the water-cement ratio to cut cement content while holding target grade, workability and pumpability across hundreds of daily loads.
Residential & Commercial Building
For RCC columns, slabs and rafts on housing and commercial projects, it delivers a cohesive, easy-finishing mix with better strength and lower permeability, safely used in reinforced sections thanks to its chloride-free formulation.
Precast & Prestressed Manufacturing
Precast yards use it to produce dense, well-compacted elements with reliable strength gain; the nil-chloride status makes it suitable for prestressed beams, hollow-core and other tensioned units.
Infrastructure & Mass Concrete
On foundations, retaining walls and water-retaining structures, the low water-cement ratio and mild retardation help manage placing in large pours and warm conditions while improving long-term durability.
Waterproofing-Grade Concrete
In basements, tanks and podiums, it supports low-permeability concrete by enabling a dense matrix at reduced water content, complementing a full integral or membrane waterproofing system.
Frequently asked questions
Is Centrament Plast 200 a superplasticiser?
What dosage should I use?
Is it safe for reinforced and prestressed concrete?
Will it delay setting?
Does it work with PPC and slag cements?
Can I use it with an accelerator?
How we position MC-Bauchemie Centrament Plast 200
Centrament Plast 200 sits at the everyday, cost-effective end of the water-reducer shelf, and it pairs naturally with the rest of the MC-Bauchemie Centrament family we stock: step up to a PCE superplasticiser from the Centrament range when a high-strength or self-compacting mix demands 20 percent-plus water reduction, add Centrament Air for controlled air entrainment in freeze-thaw or finishing-critical mixes, reach for Centrament Retard where you need a stronger, dedicated set-retarder on long-haul or mass pours, or specify a Centrament Proof integral waterproofing admixture where the concrete itself must resist water. Across our other brands, buyers comparing normal plasticisers can look at the chloride-free lignosulphonate options in the Fosroc Conplast range, while high-performance work is better served by our PCE superplasticiser lines. Talk to the Space Arc technical desk and we will match the admixture to your grade, placing method and site conditions rather than simply supplying a drum.
Fosroc Conplast P211 — A near-identical chloride-free lignosulphonate water-reducer conforming to IS 9103 and ASTM C494 Type A; specify it when the project or client standardises on Fosroc admixtures or when local Fosroc supply and support are preferred.
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