Method for the production of concrete/mortar by using dry clathrate water and concrete/mortar products produced thereby

A method for the production of concrete/mortar, which consists essentially of:

• a) mixing water with polymer particles capable of retaining their particulate shape when substantial quantities of water are absorbed therein, said particles being produced by a process which comprises:
• i) forming an acrylic copolymer dispersing agent having an alkyl acrylate or methacrylate monomer having an alkyl group of eight or more carbon atoms as main component;
• ii) dissolving said acrylic copolymer of i) in a liquid aliphatic hydrocarbon,
• iii) partially neutralizing an acrylic acid monomer in aqueous solution with an alkali to form an aqueous solution of partially neutralized acrylic acid,
• iv) adding the aqueous alkali solution of partially neutralized acrylic acid of iii) to the solution of acrylic copolymer of ii) and polymerizing the resultant mixture by water/oil suspension polymerization, and
• v) subjecting the resultant polymer of iv) to a cross-linking reaction in the presence of a cross-linking agent and in the presence or absence of a particulate inorganic compound;
• b) mixing cement or cement and aggregate with said product of step a) and
• c) expelling the water absorbed in said polymer particles in the mixture of b) to the outside thereof by a molding method so as to cause hydration of said cement.