Alkali-Activated Materials with Seawater and Sea Sand

Dear Colleagues,

In the past decade, increasing progress has been made in developing sustainable cementitious materials with a reduced carbon footprint. Benefiting from high-quality engineering and low carbon emission properties, alkali-activated materials (AAMs), including geopolymer, are regarded as one of the most robust alternatives to Portland cement. However, much is still unknown about the durability of AAMs, to some extent limiting its commercial adoption. Stemming from the differences in its reaction products and microstructures, AAMs behave distinctively with Portland cement after being exposed to aggressive testing conditions, such as elevated concentrations of CO₂, sulfates, and chlorides, as well as freeze–thaw cycles. Additionally, assessments of its corrosion mechanisms also vary. Therefore, it is important to take an in-depth look at the durability of AAMs and to explore future directions for the design, development, and implementation of sustainable and durable AAMs.

Therefore, topics of interest include but are not limited to the following:

(1) Design of sustainable AAMs;
(2) Durability performance of AAMs (e.g., carbonation, chloride/sulfate/acid attack, freeze/thaw, abrasion, etc.);
(3) Development and standardization of test methods;
(4) Durability assessment and service-life prediction.

Dr. Zengqing Sun
Prof. Dr. Xiaohui Fan
Dr. Xiaochen Lin
Topic Editors