Cellulose ethers have obvious air-entraining properties for freshly mixed cement-based materials. Cellulose ether has a real affinity group (hydroxy ether group) and a hydrophobic group (methyl group, glucose ring), a surfactant, which has surface activity and thus has an air-entraining effect.

The air-entraining effect of cellulose ether will produce a "ball" effect, which can improve the working performance of the freshly mixed materials, such as increasing the plasticity and smoothness of the mortar during operation, which is conducive to the paving of the mortar; it will also increase the output of the mortar, Reduce the cost of mortar production; but will increase the porosity of the hardened material and reduce its mechanical properties such as strength and elastic modulus.

As a surfactant, cellulose ether also has a wetting or lubricating effect on cement particles, which together with its air-entraining effect increases the fluidity of cement-based materials, but its thickening effect will reduce the fluidity. The effect of flow is a combination of plasticizing and thickening effects. Generally speaking, when the content of cellulose ether is very low, it is mainly manifested as plasticizing or water-reducing effect; when the content is high, the thickening effect of cellulose ether increases rapidly, and its air-entraining effect tends to be saturated. So it appears as thickening or increasing water demand.