Egyptian basalt powder as a fortifier for improved performance and sustainability of alkali-activated slag cement
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| Titel: | Egyptian basalt powder as a fortifier for improved performance and sustainability of alkali-activated slag cement |
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| Autoren: | Alaa M. Rashad, M. H. El‑Nashar, Omnia Farouk Hussien, Reham Abu-Elwafa Mohamed |
| Quelle: | Scientific Reports, Vol 15, Iss 1, Pp 1-23 (2025) |
| Verlagsinformationen: | Nature Portfolio, 2025. |
| Publikationsjahr: | 2025 |
| Bestand: | LCC:Medicine LCC:Science |
| Schlagwörter: | Alkali-activated slag, Basalt powder, Fresh properties, Transport properties, Environmental conditions, Compressive strength, Medicine, Science |
| Beschreibung: | Abstract As is well established, slag precursor offers promising performance characteristics; however, its origin as an industrial byproduct leads to variability in both mineralogical and chemical composition. Furthermore, the global availability of slag is limited compared to that of Portland cement (PC), raising concerns about long-term supply stability. To address these issues, this study investigates the incorporation of natural materials—specifically Egyptian natural basalt powder (BP)—as a partial replacement for slag. The research explores BP as a supplementary component in alkali-activated slag (AAS) systems. Blends containing 2.5 wt% to 40 wt% BP were prepared, and both pure slag and slag/BP mixtures were subjected to alkali activation to produce BP-modified AAS cement. The study aimed to assess the impact of varying BP ratios on flow characteristics, setting time, compressive strength, resistance to simulated real-world environmental conditions, and transport properties of the produced cement cured in air and water. In addition, the impact of varying BP ratios on drying shrinkage was monitored. This study also involved interpreting the key results through the use of a variety of contemporary scientific tools. Notwithstanding, BP might have slightly hindered the mixture flowability (up to 10.9% reduction) and prolonged setting time (1.23-fold for initial and 1.28-fold for final setting), the results demonstrated that including 2.5–20% BP improved the overall properties of the cement. An optimal ratio of 20% yielded the highest compressive strength, with an increase of up to 17.65% at 90 days under water curing, the lowest transport properties, with a decrease of 20%, and the lowest strength loss (3.63%) due to environmental conditions exposure under water curing, alongside reduced drying shrinkage. However, including 30% BP showed only a marginal effect, whilst including 40% BP showed a detrimental effect. Additionally, water curing proved superior to air curing, exhibiting higher strength, lower transport properties, and mitigating microcrack formation, thereby enhancing durability against wetting-drying cycles. |
| Publikationsart: | article |
| Dateibeschreibung: | electronic resource |
| Sprache: | English |
| ISSN: | 2045-2322 |
| Relation: | https://doaj.org/toc/2045-2322 |
| DOI: | 10.1038/s41598-025-19434-4 |
| Zugangs-URL: | https://doaj.org/article/79b4bcaed9a546258d54b413c47b1663 |
| Dokumentencode: | edsdoj.79b4bcaed9a546258d54b413c47b1663 |
| Datenbank: | Directory of Open Access Journals |
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Nájsť tento článok vo Web of Science | Abstract: | Abstract As is well established, slag precursor offers promising performance characteristics; however, its origin as an industrial byproduct leads to variability in both mineralogical and chemical composition. Furthermore, the global availability of slag is limited compared to that of Portland cement (PC), raising concerns about long-term supply stability. To address these issues, this study investigates the incorporation of natural materials—specifically Egyptian natural basalt powder (BP)—as a partial replacement for slag. The research explores BP as a supplementary component in alkali-activated slag (AAS) systems. Blends containing 2.5 wt% to 40 wt% BP were prepared, and both pure slag and slag/BP mixtures were subjected to alkali activation to produce BP-modified AAS cement. The study aimed to assess the impact of varying BP ratios on flow characteristics, setting time, compressive strength, resistance to simulated real-world environmental conditions, and transport properties of the produced cement cured in air and water. In addition, the impact of varying BP ratios on drying shrinkage was monitored. This study also involved interpreting the key results through the use of a variety of contemporary scientific tools. Notwithstanding, BP might have slightly hindered the mixture flowability (up to 10.9% reduction) and prolonged setting time (1.23-fold for initial and 1.28-fold for final setting), the results demonstrated that including 2.5–20% BP improved the overall properties of the cement. An optimal ratio of 20% yielded the highest compressive strength, with an increase of up to 17.65% at 90 days under water curing, the lowest transport properties, with a decrease of 20%, and the lowest strength loss (3.63%) due to environmental conditions exposure under water curing, alongside reduced drying shrinkage. However, including 30% BP showed only a marginal effect, whilst including 40% BP showed a detrimental effect. Additionally, water curing proved superior to air curing, exhibiting higher strength, lower transport properties, and mitigating microcrack formation, thereby enhancing durability against wetting-drying cycles. |
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| ISSN: | 20452322 |
| DOI: | 10.1038/s41598-025-19434-4 |