At　present,　the　products　of　polycarboxylate　superplasticizer　(PCE)　mainly　present　liquid　state.　Compared　with　liquid　PCEs,　solid　PCEs　have　not　only　high　storage　stability,　but　also　high　water-reducing　rate.　Based　on　acrylic　acid　(AA)　and　isobutenyl　polyethylene　glycol　(IPEG)　as　the　main　materials,　a　series　of　solid　PCEs　were　synthesized　under　anhydrous　condition　by　employing　ammonium　persulfate　(APS),　benzoyl　peroxide　(BPO),　azobisisobutyronitrile　(AIBN)　and　azobisvaleronitrile　(ABVN)　as　initiators,　and　the　effects　of　different　initiators　on　the　application　performances　of　these　solid　PCEs　were　also　investigated.　The　molecular　characteristics　of　the　synthesized　products　were　determined　by　Infrared　Spectroscopy　(IR)　and　molecular　weight　measurements　to　confirm　the　expected　structure.　The　fluidities,　dispersions　and　micro-observations　of　cement　pastes　containing　solid　PCEs　were　evaluated.　For　both　liquid　PCE　and　PCE-ABVN,　the　average　particle　size　reduced　from　2373nm　to　1147nm.　The　results　showed　that　the　paste　fluidity,　concrete　slump　and　retentions　were　significantly　enhanced　when　using　ABVN　as　initiator,　with　the　initial　slump　up　to　225mm.　This　initiator　had　high　initiating　efficiency,　exhibiting　broad　application　prospects.　©　2020　Trans　Tech　Publications　Ltd,　Switzerland.