Utilizing alkaline solid waste for low-carbon construction material via in-situ calcium phase design
Abstract Global cement market generates a large amount of greenhouse gases, driving a great interest in developing low-carbon construction materials for climate goals. Although free lime (f-CaO) and low hydration activity limit the applications in construction materials, steel slag, as an alkaline s...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Nature Portfolio
2025-08-01
|
| Series: | Nature Communications |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-62488-1 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1849764693665644544 |
|---|---|
| author | Bingyang He Xingyu Zhu Yuxin Lei Xiaohuan Jing Yang Liu Zhaohou Chen Daqiang Cang Jean-Pierre Birat Zian Tang Lingling Zhang |
| author_facet | Bingyang He Xingyu Zhu Yuxin Lei Xiaohuan Jing Yang Liu Zhaohou Chen Daqiang Cang Jean-Pierre Birat Zian Tang Lingling Zhang |
| author_sort | Bingyang He |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Global cement market generates a large amount of greenhouse gases, driving a great interest in developing low-carbon construction materials for climate goals. Although free lime (f-CaO) and low hydration activity limit the applications in construction materials, steel slag, as an alkaline solid waste, is widely regarded as a sustainable alternative to cement. Here, we propose an in-situ calcium phase design strategy of steel slag and develop a high-performance cementitious material through pre-hydration. The pre-hydration effectively reduces the risk of the f-CaO expansion and prevents the occurrence of micro cracks. With the addition of fly ash and alkaline activator, a high elastic modulus Na-rich gel is generated and improves the material’s compressive strength by 133.7%. Carbon footprint analysis indicates that the global-warming potential of the high-performance cementitious material (232–265 kg CO2-eq ton−1) is only about 34-40% of that of cement, helping to reduce about 2.2–3.0 Gt CO2-eq from the global cement market. Interestingly, additional energy compensation (heat or microwave) is proven to expeditiously enhance the mechanical properties of the cementitious material and shorten production cycles without bringing excessive CO2 emissions. This work inspires the strategic utilization of alkaline solid waste in a simple way. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-fe2e52380f9f4bdead207680280a6784 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2041-1723 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-08-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Nature Communications |
| spelling | doaj-art-fe2e52380f9f4bdead207680280a67842025-08-20T03:05:05ZengNature PortfolioNature Communications2041-17232025-08-0116111310.1038/s41467-025-62488-1Utilizing alkaline solid waste for low-carbon construction material via in-situ calcium phase designBingyang He0Xingyu Zhu1Yuxin Lei2Xiaohuan Jing3Yang Liu4Zhaohou Chen5Daqiang Cang6Jean-Pierre Birat7Zian Tang8Lingling Zhang9School of Energy and Environmental Engineering, University of Science and Technology BeijingDepartment of Electronic and Information Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic UniversityChina Environmental United Certification Center Co. Ltd.School of Energy and Environmental Engineering, University of Science and Technology BeijingSchool of Energy and Environmental Engineering, University of Science and Technology BeijingSchool of Energy and Environmental Engineering, University of Science and Technology BeijingSchool of Metallurgy and Ecological Engineering, University of Science and Technology BeijingIF Steelman, 5 Rue du Gate-ChauxSchool of Energy and Environmental Engineering, University of Science and Technology BeijingSchool of Energy and Environmental Engineering, University of Science and Technology BeijingAbstract Global cement market generates a large amount of greenhouse gases, driving a great interest in developing low-carbon construction materials for climate goals. Although free lime (f-CaO) and low hydration activity limit the applications in construction materials, steel slag, as an alkaline solid waste, is widely regarded as a sustainable alternative to cement. Here, we propose an in-situ calcium phase design strategy of steel slag and develop a high-performance cementitious material through pre-hydration. The pre-hydration effectively reduces the risk of the f-CaO expansion and prevents the occurrence of micro cracks. With the addition of fly ash and alkaline activator, a high elastic modulus Na-rich gel is generated and improves the material’s compressive strength by 133.7%. Carbon footprint analysis indicates that the global-warming potential of the high-performance cementitious material (232–265 kg CO2-eq ton−1) is only about 34-40% of that of cement, helping to reduce about 2.2–3.0 Gt CO2-eq from the global cement market. Interestingly, additional energy compensation (heat or microwave) is proven to expeditiously enhance the mechanical properties of the cementitious material and shorten production cycles without bringing excessive CO2 emissions. This work inspires the strategic utilization of alkaline solid waste in a simple way.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-62488-1 |
| spellingShingle | Bingyang He Xingyu Zhu Yuxin Lei Xiaohuan Jing Yang Liu Zhaohou Chen Daqiang Cang Jean-Pierre Birat Zian Tang Lingling Zhang Utilizing alkaline solid waste for low-carbon construction material via in-situ calcium phase design Nature Communications |
| title | Utilizing alkaline solid waste for low-carbon construction material via in-situ calcium phase design |
| title_full | Utilizing alkaline solid waste for low-carbon construction material via in-situ calcium phase design |
| title_fullStr | Utilizing alkaline solid waste for low-carbon construction material via in-situ calcium phase design |
| title_full_unstemmed | Utilizing alkaline solid waste for low-carbon construction material via in-situ calcium phase design |
| title_short | Utilizing alkaline solid waste for low-carbon construction material via in-situ calcium phase design |
| title_sort | utilizing alkaline solid waste for low carbon construction material via in situ calcium phase design |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-62488-1 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT bingyanghe utilizingalkalinesolidwasteforlowcarbonconstructionmaterialviainsitucalciumphasedesign AT xingyuzhu utilizingalkalinesolidwasteforlowcarbonconstructionmaterialviainsitucalciumphasedesign AT yuxinlei utilizingalkalinesolidwasteforlowcarbonconstructionmaterialviainsitucalciumphasedesign AT xiaohuanjing utilizingalkalinesolidwasteforlowcarbonconstructionmaterialviainsitucalciumphasedesign AT yangliu utilizingalkalinesolidwasteforlowcarbonconstructionmaterialviainsitucalciumphasedesign AT zhaohouchen utilizingalkalinesolidwasteforlowcarbonconstructionmaterialviainsitucalciumphasedesign AT daqiangcang utilizingalkalinesolidwasteforlowcarbonconstructionmaterialviainsitucalciumphasedesign AT jeanpierrebirat utilizingalkalinesolidwasteforlowcarbonconstructionmaterialviainsitucalciumphasedesign AT ziantang utilizingalkalinesolidwasteforlowcarbonconstructionmaterialviainsitucalciumphasedesign AT linglingzhang utilizingalkalinesolidwasteforlowcarbonconstructionmaterialviainsitucalciumphasedesign |