The first generation of superplasticizers—naphthalene-based superplasticizers and melamine resin-based superplasticizers were developed in the early 1960s. Because of their performance compared to ordinary water-reducing agents, they were developed in the late 1930s.

Superplasticizers is a concrete admixture that can reduce the water consumption for mixing while maintaining the slump of concrete basically unchanged. Most of them are anionic surfactants, such as lignosulfonate, naphthalenesulfonate formaldehyde polymer and so on.