Eco-friendly alkali-activated nano concrete: Impact of nano-GGBFS on mechanical and microstructural properties
The production of Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) is a significant contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, particularly carbon dioxide (CO2), which impacts the environment. To address this issue, the construction industry is focusing on reducing CO2 emissions while improving the strength and microst...
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Elsevier
2025-06-01
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| Series: | Case Studies in Chemical and Environmental Engineering |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666016425000386 |
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| author | Samuvel Raj R G. Prince Arulraj N. Anand Balamurali Kanagaraj Eva Lubloy |
| author_facet | Samuvel Raj R G. Prince Arulraj N. Anand Balamurali Kanagaraj Eva Lubloy |
| author_sort | Samuvel Raj R |
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| description | The production of Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) is a significant contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, particularly carbon dioxide (CO2), which impacts the environment. To address this issue, the construction industry is focusing on reducing CO2 emissions while improving the strength and microstructure of concrete through the use of nanomaterials (NM). This study investigates the fresh, mechanical, and microstructural properties of Fly Ash (FA) and Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag (GGBFS)-based Alkali-Activated Nano Concrete (AANC) with nano Ground granulated blast furnace Slag (nGS). The results show that varying concentrations of nGS enhanced the properties of AANC, with 12 % nGS yielding the best mechanical and microstructural performance. Microstructural studies, including Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM), X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Energy Dispersive X-ray analysis (EDAX), Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR), and Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA), demonstrated superior geopolymerization at this optimal nGS content. The addition of nGS also reduced the setting time and increased compressive strength, leading to a denser, crack-free matrix. However, excessive nGS beyond the optimal content resulted in non-uniform distribution due to agglomeration. The findings suggest that incorporating nGS in AANC can significantly improve the performance and sustainability of construction materials. The economic analysis and Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) results collectively demonstrate the viability of nGS-enhanced AANC as a sustainable solution, offering long-term cost savings through reduced maintenance, extended service life, and energy efficiency, while significantly lowering environmental impacts across its lifecycle stages, positioning it as a high-performance and environmentally friendly alternative to traditional Portland cement-based materials. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-b83b96fde3be49838278e22c29b993cc |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2666-0164 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Case Studies in Chemical and Environmental Engineering |
| spelling | doaj-art-b83b96fde3be49838278e22c29b993cc2025-02-08T05:01:09ZengElsevierCase Studies in Chemical and Environmental Engineering2666-01642025-06-0111101131Eco-friendly alkali-activated nano concrete: Impact of nano-GGBFS on mechanical and microstructural propertiesSamuvel Raj R0G. Prince Arulraj1N. Anand2Balamurali Kanagaraj3Eva Lubloy4Department of Civil Engineering, Karunya Institute of Technology and Sciences, Coimbatore, IndiaDepartment of Civil Engineering, Karunya Institute of Technology and Sciences, Coimbatore, IndiaDepartment of Civil Engineering, Karunya Institute of Technology and Sciences, Coimbatore, India; Corresponding author.Department of Civil Engineering, Karunya Institute of Technology and Sciences, Coimbatore, IndiaDepartment of Construction Materials and Technologies, Budapest University of Technology and Economics, Budapest, 1521, Hungary; Corresponding author.The production of Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) is a significant contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, particularly carbon dioxide (CO2), which impacts the environment. To address this issue, the construction industry is focusing on reducing CO2 emissions while improving the strength and microstructure of concrete through the use of nanomaterials (NM). This study investigates the fresh, mechanical, and microstructural properties of Fly Ash (FA) and Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag (GGBFS)-based Alkali-Activated Nano Concrete (AANC) with nano Ground granulated blast furnace Slag (nGS). The results show that varying concentrations of nGS enhanced the properties of AANC, with 12 % nGS yielding the best mechanical and microstructural performance. Microstructural studies, including Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM), X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Energy Dispersive X-ray analysis (EDAX), Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR), and Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA), demonstrated superior geopolymerization at this optimal nGS content. The addition of nGS also reduced the setting time and increased compressive strength, leading to a denser, crack-free matrix. However, excessive nGS beyond the optimal content resulted in non-uniform distribution due to agglomeration. The findings suggest that incorporating nGS in AANC can significantly improve the performance and sustainability of construction materials. The economic analysis and Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) results collectively demonstrate the viability of nGS-enhanced AANC as a sustainable solution, offering long-term cost savings through reduced maintenance, extended service life, and energy efficiency, while significantly lowering environmental impacts across its lifecycle stages, positioning it as a high-performance and environmentally friendly alternative to traditional Portland cement-based materials.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666016425000386Nano-ground granulated blast furnace slagAlkali-activated concreteNano-materialsSustainabilityMicrostructureGGBFS |
| spellingShingle | Samuvel Raj R G. Prince Arulraj N. Anand Balamurali Kanagaraj Eva Lubloy Eco-friendly alkali-activated nano concrete: Impact of nano-GGBFS on mechanical and microstructural properties Case Studies in Chemical and Environmental Engineering Nano-ground granulated blast furnace slag Alkali-activated concrete Nano-materials Sustainability Microstructure GGBFS |
| title | Eco-friendly alkali-activated nano concrete: Impact of nano-GGBFS on mechanical and microstructural properties |
| title_full | Eco-friendly alkali-activated nano concrete: Impact of nano-GGBFS on mechanical and microstructural properties |
| title_fullStr | Eco-friendly alkali-activated nano concrete: Impact of nano-GGBFS on mechanical and microstructural properties |
| title_full_unstemmed | Eco-friendly alkali-activated nano concrete: Impact of nano-GGBFS on mechanical and microstructural properties |
| title_short | Eco-friendly alkali-activated nano concrete: Impact of nano-GGBFS on mechanical and microstructural properties |
| title_sort | eco friendly alkali activated nano concrete impact of nano ggbfs on mechanical and microstructural properties |
| topic | Nano-ground granulated blast furnace slag Alkali-activated concrete Nano-materials Sustainability Microstructure GGBFS |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666016425000386 |
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