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Cited by 11Concrete and Cement Materials ResearchMaterials Engineering and ProcessingRecycling and utilization of industrial and municipal waste in materials production

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Mechanism of Activation and Microstructural Evolution in Calcium Carbide Slag-Activated GGBS-CG Composite Cementitious Materials

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Wang, Tengfei, Ju, Feng, Xiao, Meng, Wang, Dong, Yin, Lidong, Si, Lu, Wang, Yingbo, Xu, Mengxin, Yang, Dongming·2025·Materials
DOI 10.3390/ma18174189PMC PMC12430442
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Abstract

The efficient resource utilization of industrial solid wastes, such as ground granulated blast-furnace slag (GGBS) and coal gangue (CG), is essential for sustainable development. However, their activation commonly depends on expensive and corrosive chemical alkalis. This study proposes a solution by developing a fully waste-based cementitious material using calcium carbide slag (CS), another industrial residue, as an eco-friendly alkaline activator for the GGBS-CG system. The influence of CS dosage (0–20 wt%) on hydration evolution and mechanical properties was examined using uniaxial compression testing, X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results indicated that a CS dosage of 10 wt% yielded the highest compressive strength, reaching 10.13 MPa—a 16.5% improvement compared to the 20 wt% group. This enhancement is ascribed to the formation of hydrotalcite (HT) and calcium silicate hydrate (C-(A)-S-H) gel, which densify the microstructure. In contrast, higher CS contents led to a passivation effect that restrained further reaction. This work offers a practical and theoretical basis for the development of low-carbon, multi-waste cementitious materials and presents a promising strategy for large-scale valorization of industrial solid wastes.

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Metadata

Authors
Wang, T., Ju, F., Xiao, M., Wang, D., Yin, L., Si, L., Wang, Y., Xu, M., & Yang, D.
Affiliations
China University of Mining and Technology (CN)
Corresponding author
Ju, Feng
ORCID
Venue
Materials
Publisher
MDPI AG
Published
2025-09-06
Volume
18
Issue
17
Pages
4189
ISSN
1996-1944 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.3390/ma18174189
PMC
PMC12430442
OpenAlex
W4414063900
Cited by
11
References
45
Citations by year
2026: 11
FWCI
3.99
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Materials (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
Funders
  • Deep Earth Probe and Mineral Resources Exploration-National Science and Technology Major Project (2024ZD1003905)
  • Key Research and Development Special Tasks of Xinjiang Province (2022B01051-2)
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Engineering › Civil and Structural Engineering › Concrete and Cement Materials Research
  • Physical Sciences › Engineering › Building and Construction › Materials Engineering and Processing
  • Physical Sciences › Engineering › Building and Construction › Recycling and utilization of industrial and municipal waste in materials production
Keywords
carbide slag, ground granulated blast furnace slag, coal gangue, slag activation, cementitious materials, industrial solid waste valorization, alkaline activator, microstructure evolution, hydration, hydrotalcite, calcium silicate hydrate, compressive strength

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