Certain　clays　attached　around　the　aggregates　contaminate　the　concrete　and　also　greatly　affect　the　concrete　workability,　the　mechanism　of　which　was　investigated　through　calculating　the　volume　change　of　solid　and　liquid　phases　of　concrete　mixture　containing　clay.　To　minimize　this　detrimental　effect,　two　novel　designs　based　on　the　transfer　of　theory　and　techniques　from　polymer　science,　i.e.,　molecular　design　of　polycarboxylate　superplasticizer　(PCE),　were　proposed.　The　one　was　＂intercalator＂　synthesized　via　Hofmann　rearrangement　and　cationization,　and　the　other　was　＂star-shaped　polycarboxylate　super　plasticizer　(SPCE)＂　synthesized　via　a　route　of　＂core　first　and　arm　second＂.　The　results　of　Infrared　Spectroscopy　(IR)　and　H-1　Nuclear　Magnetic　Resonance　(H-1　NMR)　confirm　the　designed　structures.　The　applications　of　these　polymers　in　clay-contaminated　cement　paste　and　concrete　were　tested.　The　results　showed　that,　the　dispersing　capacities　of　＂Intercalator　+　Comb-shaped　polycarboxylate　superplasticizer　(CPCE)＂　and　SPCE　were　less　affected　by　adding　clay　in　both　cement　paste　and　concrete.　Adsorption　and　X-ray　diffraction　(XRD)　experiments　revealed　less　harmful　intercalation　for　SPCE　and　preferential　occupation　in　the　interlayer　space　of　clay　for　intercalator　to　protect　other　workable　PCEs.　It　is　interesting　that　optimizing　charge　characteristic　and　＂disassembling-assembling＂　molecular　arrangement　can　contribute　to　excellent　resistance　towards　clay.　The　aim　of　this　study　is　to　offer　two　promising　alternatives,　which　attractively　provide　the　theoretical　basis　and　technological　application　in　researching　advanced　materials　in　clay-contaminated　concrete.　(C)　2017　The　Korean　Society　of　Industrial　and　Engineering　Chemistry.　Published　by　Elsevier　B.V.　All　rights　reserved.