Abstract: Hydraulic cement set-accelerating admixture compositions; cement compositions containing such admixtures; and methods for preparing said cement compositions. The admixture compositions comprise one or more nitroalcohols present in an amount effective to increase the set acceleration of a hydraulic cement composition. The invention further relates to a method of making a hydraulic cement composition comprising adding to a cement composition comprising a hydraulic cement binder, a nitroalcohol component in an amount effective to increase the set-acceleration of the binder, and to a cement composition comprising a hydraulic cement binder and a nitroalcohol set-accelerating agent.

Abstract: A method for making, clean, bughole-free hardened cement structural units, including the steps of a) applying a release agent to the surface of a form; b) preparing a cement composition; c) adding to the cement composition a water-soluble polymer dispersant and a solution viscosity-reducing agent; d) placing the cement composition of step c) into the form, e) curing the cement composition of step c) to form a hardened structural unit, and f) removing the structural unit from the form.

Abstract: Aqueous-based microsilica slurries having resistance to gelling and settlement of solids are provided. The slurries contain amino alcohols as stabilizing agents, the amino alcohols having the formula ##STR1## wherein R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are each individually hydrogen or a linear or branched alkyl group containing 1 to 6 carbon atoms; R.sup.3 is a linear or branched alkylene group containing 1 to 8 carbon atoms; and R.sup.4 and R.sup.5 are each individually hydrogen, a linear or branched alkyl group containing 1 to 8 carbon atoms, or a linear or branched hydroxyalkyl group containing 1 to 8 carbon atoms.Also provided are hydraulic cement compositions comprising a hydraulic-cement binder, microsilica, and an amino alcohol of the invention.