A　novel　polycarboxylate　superplasticizer　(PCE)　was　synthesized　by　graft　copolymerization　between　acrylic　acid　(AA)　and　end-functionalized　poly　(allyl　sulfonate)　(PALS)　to　produce　comb　polymer,　i.e.　PAA-g-PALS.　The　molecular　structure　was　confirmed　by　Infrared　Spectroscopy　(IR)　and　H-1　Nuclear　Magnetic　Resonance　(H-1　NMR),　and　the　molecular　properties　were　characterized　by　Gel　Permeation　Chromatography　(GPC).　The　conventional　PCE　with　comb　structure　using　isobutenyl　polyethylene　glycol　(IPEG)　as　side　chains　(i.e.　PAA-g-IPEG)　was　also　synthesized　to　explore　the　effect　of　the　side　chain　on　the　PCE　performances.　The　fluidity　and　its　retention,　rheological　properties,　hydrodynamic　radii　(R-h),　adsorption　behavior　and　zeta　potential　of　the　cement　pastes　containing　PAA-g-PALS　or　PAA-g-IPEG　were　comparatively　tested.　It　was　found　that　this　designed　＂sulfonate　modified　PCE＂　exhibited　stronger　dispersing　stability　and　sulfate　tolerance　to　cement　paste　and　less　sensitive　to　the　sulfate　competitive　adsorption　and　the　increase　in　ionic　strength.　Based　on　the　above　results,　the　evaluation　method　(the　sulfate　resistance　index　of　PAA-g-PALS　was　increased　by　24%　as　compared　to　that　of　PAA-g-IPEG)　was　innovatively　established　and　the　mechanism　of　sulfate　resistance　was　clarified　in　detail.　The　purpose　of　this　research　is　to　offer　an　avenue　with　great　potentials　to　synthesize　a　novel　PCE　with　excellent　workability　retention　and　sulfate　tolerance　in　fresh　cement　pastes.　This　sulfonate-modified　polycarboxylate　superplasticizer　has　great　potentials　as　a　viable　alternative　to　conventional　PCE,　especially　in　some　harsh　cement　systems.　(C)　2020　Elsevier　Ltd.　All　rights　reserved.