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Research on Low Carbonization Application of Magnesia-Based Cementitious Materials

A special issue of Materials (ISSN 1996-1944). This special issue belongs to the section "Construction and Building Materials".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 February 2025 | Viewed by 5944

Special Issue Editors

School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
Interests: magnesia-based cementitious materials; low-carbon cementitious materials

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Guest Editor
Department of Civil and Airport Engineering, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing, China
Interests: durability of concrete; magnesia-based cementitious materials

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Cement is a very common and important material in civil engineering construction, which includes: CaO-based cement and MgO-based cement. Magnesia-based cement has many advantages over calcium cement in terms of performance, but its shortcomings also limit its applications in civil engineering. In recent years, a large amount of fruitful theoretical and applied research has been conducted on the defects of magnesia-based cement, including magnesium phosphate cement, modified magnesium oxysulfide cement, basic magnesium sulfate cement, and magnesium oxychloride cement. Additionally, the application of CO2 and solid waste in magnesia-based cement is a research hotspot for energy conservation, emission reduction, and the sustainable development of building materials.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Na Zhang
Prof. Dr. Hongfa Yu
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • solid waste
  • magnesia-based cement
  • carbon dioxide

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

16 pages, 9749 KiB  
Article
Effects of Dolomitic Limestone on the Properties of Magnesium Oxysulfate Cement
by Juan Camilo Adrada Molano, Adriano Galvão Souza Azevedo, Taís Oliveira Gonçalves Freitas, Gabriela Casemiro Da Silva and Holmer Savastano, Jr.
Materials 2024, 17(18), 4580; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17184580 - 18 Sep 2024
Viewed by 1013
Abstract
This study investigated the effects of substituting magnesium oxide (MgO) with dolomitic limestone (DL) on the mechanical and physical properties of magnesium oxysulfate (MOS) cement. Additionally, the hydration formation phases and the influence of the molar ratio on the MOS cement’s performance were [...] Read more.
This study investigated the effects of substituting magnesium oxide (MgO) with dolomitic limestone (DL) on the mechanical and physical properties of magnesium oxysulfate (MOS) cement. Additionally, the hydration formation phases and the influence of the molar ratio on the MOS cement’s performance were examined. The corresponding action mechanisms were identified and explored by compressive strength tests, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), isothermal calorimetry, and a thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The results showed that replacing MgO with DL decreased the reaction speed and heat release rate generated in the hydration process of the MOS cement. This substitution also reduced the quantity of non-hydrated MgO particles and delayed the formation of Mg(OH)2. The diminished formation of Mg(OH)2 contributed to an increase in the apparent porosity of pastes containing DL, thus alleviating internal stresses induced by Mg(OH)2 formation and enhancing their mechanical strength after 28 days of curing. Conversely, the increased porosity improved the CO2 diffusion within the structure, promoting the formation of magnesium carbonates (MgCO3). Through the characterization of the cement matrix (XRD and TGA), it was possible to identify phases, such as the brucite, periclase, and 318 phases. The obtained results revealed the potential of incorporating mineral fillers like limestone as a promising approach to producing MOS cement with a reduced environmental impact and better properties at higher curing ages. Full article
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14 pages, 7235 KiB  
Article
Influence of Drying Conditions on the Durability of Concrete Subjected to the Combined Action of Chemical Attack and Freeze–Thaw Cycles
by Shanshan Song, Hongfa Yu and Haiyan Ma
Materials 2024, 17(5), 1131; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17051131 - 29 Feb 2024
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 917
Abstract
The durability of concrete is critical for the service life of concrete structures, and it is influenced by various factors. This paper investigates the impact of the relative humidity (RH) of the curing environment on the durability of five different concrete types. The [...] Read more.
The durability of concrete is critical for the service life of concrete structures, and it is influenced by various factors. This paper investigates the impact of the relative humidity (RH) of the curing environment on the durability of five different concrete types. The aim is to determine a suitable approach for designing concrete that is well-suited for use in the salt lake region of Inner Mongolia. The concrete types comprise ordinary Portland cement (OPC), high-strength expansive concrete (HSEC), high-strength expansive concrete incorporating silica fume, fly ash, and blast furnace slag (HSEC-SFB), steel fiber-reinforced high-strength expansive concrete (SFRHSEC), and high elastic modulus polyethylene fiber-reinforced high-strength expansive concrete (HFRHSEC). All these concrete types underwent a 180-day curing process at three distinct relative humidities (RH = 30%, 50%, and 95%) before being subjected to freeze–thaw cycles in the Inner Mongolia salt lake brine. The curing environment with a 95% RH is referred to as the standard condition. The experimental results reveal that the durability of OPC and HSEC decreases significantly with increasing relative humidity. In comparison with the control sample cured in 95% RH, the maximum freeze–thaw cycles for concrete cured in lower RHs are only 31% to 76% for OPC and 66% to 77% for HSEC. However, the sensitivity of the durability of HSEC-SFB, SFRHSEC, and HFRHSEC to variations in RH in the curing environment diminishes. In comparison with the corresponding reference value, the maximum freeze–thaw cycles for samples cured in dry conditions increase by 14% to 17% for HSEC-SFB and 21% for SFRHSEC. Specifically, the service life of HFRHSEC cured in a low RH is 25% to 46% higher than the reference value. The durability of HSEC-SFB, SFRHSEC, and HFRHSEC has been proven to be appropriate for structures located in the salt lake region of Inner Mongolia. Full article
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16 pages, 9303 KiB  
Article
Formation of Natural Magnesium Silica Hydrate (M-S-H) and Magnesium Alumina Silica Hydrate (M-A-S-H) Cement
by Håkon Austrheim, Depan Hu, Ole Ivar Ulven and Niels H. Andersen
Materials 2024, 17(5), 994; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17050994 - 21 Feb 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1081
Abstract
Occurrences of natural magnesium alumina silicate hydrate (M-(A)-S-H) cement are present in Feragen and Leka, in eastern and western Trøndelag Norway, respectively. Both occurrences are in the subarctic climate zone and form in glacial till and moraine material deposited on ultramafic rock during [...] Read more.
Occurrences of natural magnesium alumina silicate hydrate (M-(A)-S-H) cement are present in Feragen and Leka, in eastern and western Trøndelag Norway, respectively. Both occurrences are in the subarctic climate zone and form in glacial till and moraine material deposited on ultramafic rock during the Weichselian glaciation. Weathering of serpentinized peridotite dissolves brucite and results in an alkaline fluid with a relatively high pH which subsequently reacts with the felsic minerals of the till (quartz, plagioclase, K-feldspar) to form a cement consisting of an amorphous material or a mixture of nanocrystalline Mg-rich phyllosilicates, including illite. The presence of plagioclase in the till results in the enrichment of alumina in the cement, i.e., forms M-A-S-H instead of the M-S-H cement. Dissolution of quartz results in numerous etch pits and negative quartz crystals filled with M-A-S-H cement. Where the quartz dissolution is faster than the cement precipitation, a honeycomb-like texture is formed. Compositionally, the cemented till (tillite) contains more MgO and has a higher loss of ignition than the till, suggesting that the cement is formed by a MgO fluid that previously reacted with the peridotite. The M-(A)-S-H cemented till represents a new type of duricrust, coined magsilcrete. The study of natural Mg cement provides information on peridotites as a Mg source for Mg cement and as a feedstock for CO2 sequestration. Full article
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13 pages, 5020 KiB  
Article
The Effect of Secondary Aluminum Ash on the Properties of Reactive Powder Concrete
by Wenyu Xu, Hui Wang and Xiaoning Tian
Materials 2023, 16(15), 5265; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16155265 - 27 Jul 2023
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1305
Abstract
Secondary aluminum ash is a kind of common solid waste which will pollute the environment without any treatment. In this study, the influence of secondary aluminum ash on the rheological properties and the initial setting time of fresh reactive powder concrete (RPC) are [...] Read more.
Secondary aluminum ash is a kind of common solid waste which will pollute the environment without any treatment. In this study, the influence of secondary aluminum ash on the rheological properties and the initial setting time of fresh reactive powder concrete (RPC) are researched. Meanwhile, the mechanical properties and the drying shrinkage rates of RPC with the secondary aluminum ash are determined. The electrical parameters of RPC with the secondary aluminum ash are measured. Scanning electron microscopy is obtained to reflect the internal structure of RPC. Results show that the addition of secondary aluminum ash can lead to decreasing the fluidity and increase the yield shear stress of fresh RPC paste by varying rates of 16.1% and 58.3%, respectively. The addition of secondary aluminum ash can decrease the flexural and compressive strengths of RPC cured for 1 day by the decreasing rates of 0~18.7% and 0~19.3%. When the curing age is 28 days, the flexural and compressive strengths of RPC are increased by 0~9.1% and 0~19.1% with adding the secondary aluminum ash. The secondary aluminum ash can promote the condensation of RPC. The addition of the secondary aluminum ash can decrease the electrical resistance of RPC by an order of magnitude. The relationship between the electrical resistance and the electrical reactance fits the quadratic function equation. The electrical resistance of the pore solution increases in the form of a quadratic function with the mass ratio of the secondary aluminum ash. The dry shrinkage rates of RPC cured for 1 day and 28 days are decreased by 0~36.4% and 0~41.3% with the increasing dosages of secondary aluminum ash. As obtained from the microscopic testing results, the secondary aluminum ash can improve the compactness of hydration products. Full article
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16 pages, 13167 KiB  
Article
Effects of CO2 Curing on the Properties of Pervious Concrete in Different Paste–Aggregate Ratios
by Mingfang Ba, Siyi Fang, Wei Cheng and Yawen Zhao
Materials 2023, 16(13), 4581; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16134581 - 25 Jun 2023
Viewed by 1136
Abstract
To improve the comprehensive performance of pervious concrete, the properties of pervious concrete in different paste–aggregate ratios were subjected to both early CO2 curing and uncarbonated curing conditions. The mechanical properties, water permeability, porosity, and chemical composition of pervious concrete under two [...] Read more.
To improve the comprehensive performance of pervious concrete, the properties of pervious concrete in different paste–aggregate ratios were subjected to both early CO2 curing and uncarbonated curing conditions. The mechanical properties, water permeability, porosity, and chemical composition of pervious concrete under two curing conditions were investigated and compared. The effects of CO2 curing on the properties of pervious concrete with different paste–aggregate ratios were derived. Through mechanical experiments, it was revealed that early CO2 curing can enhance the mechanical strength of pervious concrete by about 15–18%. Meanwhile, with the increase in the paste–aggregate ratio, the improvement effect induced by early CO2 curing became more significant. The water resistance of carbonated concrete was not significantly reduced. And with the increase in the paste–aggregate ratio, the carbonation degree of pervious concrete was reduced; the differences in porosity and water resistance became less significant when the paste–aggregate ratio exceeded 0.39. Micro-structural analysis shows that the early CO2 curing reduced both total porosity and the volume of micropores with a pore diameter of less than 40 nm, while it increased the volume of pores with a diameter of more than 40 nm. This is also the main reason that the strength of pervious concrete under early CO2 curing is higher than that without CO2 curing. The effect of varying paste–aggregate ratio and curing methods adds to the limited knowledge of the performance of pervious concrete. Full article
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