Effect of blast furnace slag on the fresh and hardened properties of volcanic tuff-based geopolymer mortars
Abstract Volcanic tuffs are abundant in several regions of the world, and their use has emerged as an economically viable alternative for geopolymer production. This study investigates the effects of incorporating 0 to 30% blast furnace slag (BFS) into volcanic tuff (VT)-based geopolymer mortars cur...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Nature Portfolio
2025-04-01
|
| Series: | Scientific Reports |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-98382-5 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1850141002080190464 |
|---|---|
| author | Abderrachid Boumaza Mohamed Lyes Kamel Khouadjia Haytham F. Isleem Oualid Mahieddine Hamdi Mohammad Khishe |
| author_facet | Abderrachid Boumaza Mohamed Lyes Kamel Khouadjia Haytham F. Isleem Oualid Mahieddine Hamdi Mohammad Khishe |
| author_sort | Abderrachid Boumaza |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Volcanic tuffs are abundant in several regions of the world, and their use has emerged as an economically viable alternative for geopolymer production. This study investigates the effects of incorporating 0 to 30% blast furnace slag (BFS) into volcanic tuff (VT)-based geopolymer mortars cured at room temperature and 80 °C on various properties, including setting time, mechanical strength (compressive and flexural), workability, water absorption and microstructure. Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) was used to characterize the geopolymer mortars. Sodium hydroxide and sodium silicate are used as alkaline activators. Results revealed that pure VT pastes exhibited exceptionally long setting times, approximately 48 h. However, replacing 10% of VT with Blast Furnace Slag (BFS) reduced this to 435 min. The effect of BFS on compressive strength was time-sensitive. At 7 days, a substantial increase from 2.42 MPa to 9.03 MPa was observed with 30% BFS incorporation. Conversely, under ambient curing, 28-day strength decreased. However, curing at 80 °C for 48 h improved 28-day strength to 15.03 MPa with 30% BFS. Furthermore, results revealed that incorporating 30% BFS significantly enhanced workability, resulting in a 92.08% reduction in flow time. Absorption water and Microstructural analysis confirmed a strong correlation between the degree of geopolymerization and mechanical performance. These findings highlight BFS as a promising additive for optimizing VT-based geopolymer mortars. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-6ff2f8652ee443d58a8e886c528e8e82 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-04-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj-art-6ff2f8652ee443d58a8e886c528e8e822025-08-20T02:29:38ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-04-0115111610.1038/s41598-025-98382-5Effect of blast furnace slag on the fresh and hardened properties of volcanic tuff-based geopolymer mortarsAbderrachid Boumaza0Mohamed Lyes Kamel Khouadjia1Haytham F. Isleem2Oualid Mahieddine Hamdi3Mohammad Khishe4Department of Civil Engineering, laboratory of Materials and durability of constructions (LMDC), University of Mentouri Constantine 1Department of Civil Engineering, laboratory of Materials and durability of constructions (LMDC), University of Mentouri Constantine 1Department of computer Science, University of YorkDepartment of Civil Engineering, Laboratory LEEGO, University of Sciences and Technology Houari Boumediene (USTHB)Department of Electrical Engineering, Imam Khomeini Naval Science University of NowshahrAbstract Volcanic tuffs are abundant in several regions of the world, and their use has emerged as an economically viable alternative for geopolymer production. This study investigates the effects of incorporating 0 to 30% blast furnace slag (BFS) into volcanic tuff (VT)-based geopolymer mortars cured at room temperature and 80 °C on various properties, including setting time, mechanical strength (compressive and flexural), workability, water absorption and microstructure. Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) was used to characterize the geopolymer mortars. Sodium hydroxide and sodium silicate are used as alkaline activators. Results revealed that pure VT pastes exhibited exceptionally long setting times, approximately 48 h. However, replacing 10% of VT with Blast Furnace Slag (BFS) reduced this to 435 min. The effect of BFS on compressive strength was time-sensitive. At 7 days, a substantial increase from 2.42 MPa to 9.03 MPa was observed with 30% BFS incorporation. Conversely, under ambient curing, 28-day strength decreased. However, curing at 80 °C for 48 h improved 28-day strength to 15.03 MPa with 30% BFS. Furthermore, results revealed that incorporating 30% BFS significantly enhanced workability, resulting in a 92.08% reduction in flow time. Absorption water and Microstructural analysis confirmed a strong correlation between the degree of geopolymerization and mechanical performance. These findings highlight BFS as a promising additive for optimizing VT-based geopolymer mortars.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-98382-5Geopolymer mortarsVolcanic tuffSlagMechanical propertiesWorkability propertiesAbsorption of water |
| spellingShingle | Abderrachid Boumaza Mohamed Lyes Kamel Khouadjia Haytham F. Isleem Oualid Mahieddine Hamdi Mohammad Khishe Effect of blast furnace slag on the fresh and hardened properties of volcanic tuff-based geopolymer mortars Scientific Reports Geopolymer mortars Volcanic tuff Slag Mechanical properties Workability properties Absorption of water |
| title | Effect of blast furnace slag on the fresh and hardened properties of volcanic tuff-based geopolymer mortars |
| title_full | Effect of blast furnace slag on the fresh and hardened properties of volcanic tuff-based geopolymer mortars |
| title_fullStr | Effect of blast furnace slag on the fresh and hardened properties of volcanic tuff-based geopolymer mortars |
| title_full_unstemmed | Effect of blast furnace slag on the fresh and hardened properties of volcanic tuff-based geopolymer mortars |
| title_short | Effect of blast furnace slag on the fresh and hardened properties of volcanic tuff-based geopolymer mortars |
| title_sort | effect of blast furnace slag on the fresh and hardened properties of volcanic tuff based geopolymer mortars |
| topic | Geopolymer mortars Volcanic tuff Slag Mechanical properties Workability properties Absorption of water |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-98382-5 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT abderrachidboumaza effectofblastfurnaceslagonthefreshandhardenedpropertiesofvolcanictuffbasedgeopolymermortars AT mohamedlyeskamelkhouadjia effectofblastfurnaceslagonthefreshandhardenedpropertiesofvolcanictuffbasedgeopolymermortars AT haythamfisleem effectofblastfurnaceslagonthefreshandhardenedpropertiesofvolcanictuffbasedgeopolymermortars AT oualidmahieddinehamdi effectofblastfurnaceslagonthefreshandhardenedpropertiesofvolcanictuffbasedgeopolymermortars AT mohammadkhishe effectofblastfurnaceslagonthefreshandhardenedpropertiesofvolcanictuffbasedgeopolymermortars |