Preparation and Hydration Mechanism of Cementitious Materials Utilizing Wet-grind Granulated Blast-furnace Slag, Wetgrind Electrolytic Manganese Residue, and Carbide Slag

Abstract

To address the inefficient utilization of electrolytic manganese residue (EMR) caused by its high inert content, this study developed a multifunctional solid waste cementitious material by replacing 50–60% of ordinary Portland cement (PO 42.5) with wet-ground electrolytic manganese residue (WEMR), wet-ground granulated blast-furnace slag (WGBFS), and carbide slag (CS). The mechanical properties, hydration characteristics, microstructure, and carbon emissions of the material were systematically investigated with varying WEMR dosages. The experimental results demonstrates that the wet-grinding process significantly refines the particle size and enhances the reactivity of both EMR and GBFS. As the WEMR dosage increases, the 28-day compressive strength initially rise and then declines. Optimal mechanical performance was achieved with 24% WEMR and 6% CS, yielding a 28-day compressive strength of 48.2 MPa. Advanced analytical techniques, including XRD, TG-DTG, SEM, and MIP, were employed to examine the hydration products. The findings reveal that the wet-grinding-alkali-sulfur synergistic activation system in the multi-solid waste cementitious material effectively utilize EMR to generate abundant hydration products such as AFt and C-(A)-S-H. Additionally, the fine particles of WEMR fill the pores in the mortar, further enhancing compressive strength. The cost and carbon emissions of this multifunctional system are only 65.97% and 46.9% of those of PO 42.5, respectively. This study provides a feasible approach for the efficient utilization of EMR, contributing to sustainable construction practices.

Keywords

wet-grinding / alkali-sulfur co-activation / hydration characteristics / carbon emissions / electrolytic manganese residue / sustainable cementitious materials

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