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Thermal Analysis and Its Applications in Materials Science and Engineering

A special issue of Applied Sciences (ISSN 2076-3417). This special issue belongs to the section "Applied Thermal Engineering".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 August 2026 | Viewed by 1000

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Civil Engineering Research Centre, Vilnius Gediminas Technical University, 10223 Vilnius, Lithuania
Interests: composite material characterization and modification for mechanical properties; thermal analysis and behavior of materials; manufacturing and repair of composite structures

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Laboratory of Composite Materials, Vilnius Gediminas Technical University, 10223 Vilnius, Lithuania
Interests: refractory materials mechanical and durability properties of building materials

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Thermal analysis plays a crucial role in material development across industries, such as polymers, ceramics, metallurgy, pharmaceuticals, construction, and energy, and it helps researchers optimize processing conditions, evaluate fire resistance, determine the shelf-life or degradation pathway of a material, and understand how materials behave under temperature changes. In sustainability-focused research, thermal analysis is particularly useful for evaluating alternative raw materials like industrial by-products or recycled waste. By revealing the thermal behavior of materials, thermal analysis supports the design of more efficient, durable, and environmentally friendly products and processes.

We look forward to your valuable contributions that deepen our understanding of thermal analysis and promote innovation in materials science and engineering.

Dr. Maryna Shevtsova
Dr. Renata Boris
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Applied Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • thermal analysis
  • thermogravimetric analysis (TGA)
  • differential scanning calorimetry (DSC)
  • differential thermal analysis (DTA)
  • thermal stability
  • phase transitions
  • decomposition behavior
  • crystallization and melting

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

24 pages, 10558 KB  
Article
Impact of Pre-Granulated MSWI Fly Ash on Hydration, Microstructure, and Performance of Portland Cement Mortars
by Maryna Shevtsova, Jurgita Malaiškienė, Jelena Škamat, Valentin Antonovič and Rimvydas Stonys
Appl. Sci. 2026, 16(2), 725; https://doi.org/10.3390/app16020725 - 9 Jan 2026
Viewed by 435
Abstract
Portland cement (PC) is widely regarded as a cost-effective and reliable binding material for the stabilization and solidification of municipal solid waste incineration fly ash (MSWI FA). However, the soluble salts and heavy metals present in MSWI FA retard PC hydration, thereby limiting [...] Read more.
Portland cement (PC) is widely regarded as a cost-effective and reliable binding material for the stabilization and solidification of municipal solid waste incineration fly ash (MSWI FA). However, the soluble salts and heavy metals present in MSWI FA retard PC hydration, thereby limiting the amount of fly ash that can be incorporated. The present study investigates the feasibility of normalizing the hydration of PC-based mixtures containing MSWI FA by applying a fly ash pre-granulation step with 25% PC, followed by coating the resulting granules with a geopolymer layer to reduce the release of harmful ions during the early stages of hydration. Isothermal calorimetry, TG/DTA, XRD, SEM, and mechanical testing were used to investigate the hydration characteristics of composites containing such granules and to assess their properties at 7, 28, and 90 days. It was found that a 20% substitution of PC with the studied FA disrupted PC hydration within the first 48 h. In contrast, both types of granules exhibited the main exothermic peak within the first 10–12 h, with hydration heat release (about 300 J/g) comparable to that of sand-containing references. Uncoated granules exhibited more active behavior with hydration kinetics similar to pure cement paste, whereas the effect of geopolymer-coated granules was close to sand. TG/DTA revealed reduced calcite content in mixtures containing granules, whereas uncoated granules promoted greater portlandite formation than the sand-based system. Hardening the samples under wet conditions resulted in the development of a dense cement matrix, firm integration of the granules, redistribution of chlorine and sulfur ions, and mechanical properties that reached at least 93% of those of the sand-containing reference, despite a lower density of ~4.5%. Full article
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