Abstract: Superabsorbent polymers（SAP） were prepared and used as a novel self-curing admixture in cement-based materials．SAP has good capability of absorbing and retaining water．It can restrain the desiccation in the early age of the cement hydration‚and can offer sufficient moisture to keep the internal relative humidity in system in a rather long period of time．So the reaction of hydration is improved and the self-curing process thus realized．The effects of SAP on the fluidity‚setting time‚strength properties of cement-based materials‚ and also on the hydration reaction by measuring the chemical bonding water amount were discussed．It is observed that the addition of SAP can improve both the hydration degree of cement paste and the mechanical properties of mortar．The bending strengths in particular‚are all improved by10％～20％ in3 days‚7days and28days

Key words: superabsorbent polymer, cement-based material, self-curing admixture, hydration