Abstract: Adsorption behavior of polycarboxylate superplasticizer on montmorillonite is investigated to reveal its mechanism of the sensitivity of sand and gravel clay content. By ultraviolet spectrophotometric method, we systematically study the effect of solution concentration, adsorption time and ambient temperature on the process and adsorption amount of the adsorption behavior of polycarboxylate superplasticizer on montmorillonite;by using Fourier infrared spectroscopy,we characterize and analyze the microstructural changes of polycarboxylate superplasticizer embedded montmorillonite.The results showed that: the solution concentration of polycarboxylate has little effect on the interlayer adsorption amount of montmorillonite; the certain solution concentration of polycarboxylate superplasticizer has saturated adsorption capacity in the montmorillonite surface with the change of adsorption time; when the adsorption time is 90 min, the interlayer adsorption amount of montmorillonite reached maximum; the surface and interlayer adsorption amount of the polycarboxylate on the montmorillonite has an increasing trend with the adsorption temperature increasing; the montmorillonite which has absorbed the polycarboxylate has apparent absorption peaks and larger spacing of layer than before,so the polycarboxylate has embedded into montmorillonite. So the process of adsorption of polycarboxylate superplasticizer on montmorillonite includes surface and inserting adsorption.To lower the solution concentration of polycarboxylate, adsorption time and adsorption temperature, it is benefit to reduce the surface adsorption amount of the polycarboxylate on montmorillonite; it can effectively reduce the driving force that the polycarboxylate embedded into montmorillonite and reduce the adsorption amount with adsorption temperature lowering and adsorption time reducing. Finally achieve the purpose of improving adaptation of polycarboxylate superplasticizer to sand clay content.