Advances in Hydration Chemistry for Low-Carbon Cementitious Materials

Dear Colleagues,

Against the backdrop of global carbon neutrality goals, the cement and concrete industry—one of the largest industrial carbon emitters—has prioritized the development of low-carbon cementitious materials as a core strategy for decarbonization. Innovations such as high-volume supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs, e.g., fly ash, slag, limestone powder), alkali-activated materials (AAMs), low-carbon cement clinkers and bio-based cementitious systems have emerged as mainstream alternatives to traditional Portland cement. However, the macro-performance, microstructure, carbon reduction efficiency and long-term service reliability of these low-carbon cementitious materials are fundamentally governed by their hydration chemistry—including the type, formation rate, and spatial distribution of hydration products, the degree of hydration and interfacial chemical reactions.

Despite significant progress in low-carbon cementitious material research, critical knowledge gaps remain in the field of hydration chemistry: (i) the synergistic hydration mechanisms of multi-component low-carbon systems are still not fully elucidated, especially under complex environmental conditions; (ii) the correlation between micro-scale hydration processes and macro-scale material properties lacks systematic characterization; (iii) efficient chemical regulation strategies for hydration are insufficiently developed; and (iv) the long-term hydration stability of low-carbon cementitious materials and its impact on carbon emission persistence have not been thoroughly explored. These gaps hinder the translation of fundamental research on low-carbon cementitious materials into practical engineering applications.

This Special Issue, “Advances in Hydration Chemistry for Low-Carbon Cementitious Materials”, aims to bridge this divide by focusing on the latest scientific advancements, innovative technologies and engineering practices that link hydration chemistry to the development and optimization of low-carbon cementitious materials. We seek to provide a platform for researchers and engineers worldwide to share cutting-edge findings on the mechanisms, characterization, regulation and application of hydration chemistry in low-carbon systems, thereby advancing the fundamental understanding and industrial implementation of low-carbon cementitious materials. Both original research articles and comprehensive review articles are welcome.

Topics of particular interest encompass, but are not confined to:

• Hydration reaction mechanisms of multi-component low-carbon cementitious systems;
• In situ and dynamic characterization techniques for hydration chemistry;
• Chemical regulation of hydration processes in low-carbon cementitious materials;
• Correlation between hydration products/microstructure and macro-performance of low-carbon cementitious materials;
• Hydration behavior of low-carbon cementitious materials under extreme environmental conditions;
• Life-cycle assessment (LCA) of low-carbon cementitious materials from the perspective of hydration chemistry;
• Hydration activation mechanisms of industrial solid wastes as alternative cementitious materials;
• Hydration control strategies for low-carbon cementitious materials in emerging applications;
• Long-term hydration stability and durability evolution of low-carbon cementitious materials in service;
• Machine learning and data-driven modeling of hydration chemistry for low-carbon cementitious materials design and performance prediction.

This Special Issue aligns with the journal’s mission to promote sustainable innovation in civil engineering materials and support global decarbonization efforts. We look forward to receiving your valuable contributions that will advance the science of hydration chemistry and accelerate the adoption of low-carbon cementitious materials in the construction industry.

Dr. Lei Liu
Dr. Xiaohai Liu
Guest Editors

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• low-carbon cementitious materials
• hydration chemistry
• microstructure
• characterization techniques
• chemical regulation
• life-cycle assessment
• long-term hydration stability
• machine learning