Yifeng Ling , Guang Yin , Lijun Wang , Hui Jin , Bo Li , Weizhuo Shi , Shilang Xu
{"title":"Robust superhydrophobic cementitious composites with ex-situ carbonation: Performance and mechanism","authors":"Yifeng Ling , Guang Yin , Lijun Wang , Hui Jin , Bo Li , Weizhuo Shi , Shilang Xu","doi":"10.1016/j.cemconres.2025.108059","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cemconres.2025.108059","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Superhydrophobic surfaces have attracted significant attention due to their ability to enhance the durability of concrete by preventing water and aggressive agent penetration. However, traditional superhydrophobic materials have limitations, being poorly durable and prone to wear. In this study, we propose a novel design for robust superhydrophobic cementitious composites: nano-CaCO₃ is grown ex-situ on fly ash particles to ensure the complete leaching of Ca<sup>2+</sup> from carbide slag during carbonation, which also allows nano-CaCO₃ to be uniformly introduced into the composite through a carrier effect of carbonated fly ash. In addition, fluoroalkylsilane was incorporated into the carbon-sequestered composite to further reduce surface energy and achieve superhydrophobicity. The results demonstrate that the hydrophobicity of the composites is closely tied to the carbonation process, with a contact angle of 163.0° which signifies a superhydrophobic condition. This study provides valuable insights into the innovative design and production of carbon-sequestered, robust superhydrophobic cement-based materials.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":266,"journal":{"name":"Cement and Concrete Research","volume":"199 ","pages":"Article 108059"},"PeriodicalIF":13.1,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145260812","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Xiang Xi , Zijie Zhao , Wenkui Dong , Jingming Cai , Yue Gu , Wenyi Zhang , Hongqiang Chu , Qianping Ran
{"title":"Factors that govern the electrical, dielectric, and electromagnetic properties of hardened fly ash-based geopolymer composites","authors":"Xiang Xi , Zijie Zhao , Wenkui Dong , Jingming Cai , Yue Gu , Wenyi Zhang , Hongqiang Chu , Qianping Ran","doi":"10.1016/j.cemconres.2025.108062","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cemconres.2025.108062","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study investigates the factors influencing the electrical, dielectric, and electromagnetic properties of fly ash-based geopolymer pastes (GP) by comparing their electrical resistivity, relative permittivity, and electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding effectiveness under varying design parameters, including the water-to-binder (W/B) ratio, alkali modulus, and slag content. The results reveal that both DC and AC resistivity increase with a lower W/B ratio, higher alkali modulus, and greater slag content. Conversely, relative permittivity increases with a higher W/B ratio, lower alkali modulus, and greater slag content. These electrical and dielectric properties are interrelated, as they both depend on microstructural characteristics and their effects on charge movement and concentration. The predominant EMI shielding mechanism, whether reflection or absorption, is determined by the design parameters. Specifically, a higher W/B ratio correlates with greater reflection loss due to high relative permittivity and conductivity. A higher alkali modulus is associated with increased total shielding loss, also driven by high relative permittivity and conductivity. When slag content is increased, high resistivity combined with moderate relative permittivity leads to higher total shielding loss. The reflection of electromagnetic waves by GP is attributed to the impedance mismatch between the GP and air, while absorption results from conduction loss and polarization losses, including dipolar polarization, polarization relaxation, interfacial polarization, and molecular currents. This study provides valuable insights into the potential of geopolymers as functional materials.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":266,"journal":{"name":"Cement and Concrete Research","volume":"199 ","pages":"Article 108062"},"PeriodicalIF":13.1,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145314685","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Raphael Kuhn , Pietro Lura , Daniel Rentsch , Guillaume Habert , Ellina Bernard
{"title":"Dispersant mechanisms in clays stabilized with MgO-based cement","authors":"Raphael Kuhn , Pietro Lura , Daniel Rentsch , Guillaume Habert , Ellina Bernard","doi":"10.1016/j.cemconres.2025.108040","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cemconres.2025.108040","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Clay-based, low-CO₂ cement-stabilized materials offer a sustainable alternative to conventional building materials. This study examines the impact of various admixtures (Na-hexametaphosphate, Na‑carbonate, Na-silicate, Na-citrate, and Na-oxalate) on the rheological behavior of poured systems containing a MgO-metakaolin cement as stabilizer. The yield stress reduction follows the order Na-hexametaphosphate > Na-silicate > Na-citrate > Na-oxalate ≥ Na‑carbonate > no admixture. The zeta potential data with the solution analysis of the suspensions show that the adsorption of admixtures and/or a change in pH leads to a more negative surface, enhancing dispersion through electrostatic repulsion. Silicate and phosphate are not found in the suspension, <sup>29</sup>Si ssNMR indicates that silicate precipitates and polymerizes most likely as M-S-H. The phosphates are most likely adsorbed onto particles with opening of the phosphate rings observed by <sup>31</sup>P NMR. The anionic charge density of adsorbed polyphosphates was calculated and linked to the decreased colloid sizes observed with increasing Na-hexametaphosphate concentration.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":266,"journal":{"name":"Cement and Concrete Research","volume":"199 ","pages":"Article 108040"},"PeriodicalIF":13.1,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145089149","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Beifeng Lv , Lizhong Wang , Qiang Zeng , Hengyu Liu , Yujie Li , Zhen Guo
{"title":"Autogenous shrinkage mitigation effect of superabsorbent polymers on alkali-activated GGBFS-FA binary binder without additional water: performance, microstructure and mechanism","authors":"Beifeng Lv , Lizhong Wang , Qiang Zeng , Hengyu Liu , Yujie Li , Zhen Guo","doi":"10.1016/j.cemconres.2025.108058","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cemconres.2025.108058","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This work seeks to explore the mechanisms of superabsorbent polymers (SAP) in mitigating autogenous shrinkage of an alkali-activated ground granulated blast furnace slag-fly ash (GGBFS-FA) binary binder through elaborate microstructural analysis. The effect patterns of SAP with different dosages (0–0.5 %) and particle sizes (91–631 μm) on the setting time, workability, mechanical strength and autogenous shrinkage were tested. Porosity, pore size distribution, specific surface area, and chemical characteristics were systematically explored. Results revealed that 0.5 % SAP interrupted capillary stress through pore coarsening, thereby reducing autogenous shrinkage by 80 % (3266.57 to 637.89 με). Smaller SAP particle (91 μm) enhanced water release efficiency and promoted calcium silicoaluminate hydrate (C-(A)-S-H) gel formation, while larger SAP particle (631 μm) delayed water release and improved strength with slower shrinkage stabilization. The findings on the water release characteristics and pore coarsening mechanism of SAP deepen our understanding of autogenous shrinkage controls in alkali-activated materials (AAM).</div></div>","PeriodicalId":266,"journal":{"name":"Cement and Concrete Research","volume":"199 ","pages":"Article 108058"},"PeriodicalIF":13.1,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145247349","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Xin Liu , Dining Li , Hui Xie , Jiachen Yao , Xuyan Shen , Haochuan Wang , Zhengyao Qu , Zuhua Zhang , Pan Feng
{"title":"How does aluminum sulfate-based alkali-free accelerator affect calcium silicate hydrate (C-S-H) formation in accelerated cement pastes?","authors":"Xin Liu , Dining Li , Hui Xie , Jiachen Yao , Xuyan Shen , Haochuan Wang , Zhengyao Qu , Zuhua Zhang , Pan Feng","doi":"10.1016/j.cemconres.2025.108052","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cemconres.2025.108052","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Alkali-free aluminum sulfate (AS)-based accelerators have become a widely adopted and indispensable admixture for shotcrete applications. However, their effects on the formation kinetics and properties of calcium silicate hydrate (C-S-H) – the primary hydrate in shotcrete – remain insufficiently understood. To bridge this knowledge gap, a combination of isothermal calorimetry, QXRD, and TGA was employed to uncover the temporal evolution of C-S-H. In addition, the chemical compositions and silicate chain structure were comprehensively examined using BSE-EDS, <sup>27</sup>Al NMR, coupled with <sup>29</sup>Si NMR techniques. Our results demonstrate that AS addition accelerated C<sub>3</sub>S hydration, promoting the C-S-H nucleation and growth rate. This acceleration effect can be ascribed to (1) the accelerated dissolution of silicate phases at early stages, and (2) the formation of divergent C-S-H needles, providing more nucleation sites while mitigating impingement between adjacent C-(A)-S-H needles. Multiple characterizations confirmed the enhanced incorporation of aluminum into C-S-H, predominately at the bridging site. Notably, increasing AS content decreased the Si/Ca of the C-(A)-S-H and concurrently enhanced the aluminum incorporation. This compositional shift led to the formation of longer aluminosilicate chains and concomitant improvements in the hardness and elastic modulus of C-(A)-S-H. These findings offer valuable insights into AS-induced alterations in C-(A)-S-H within accelerated cement pastes, facilitating the deeper understanding of the role of C-(A)-S-H in strength development and long-term durability of shotcrete.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":266,"journal":{"name":"Cement and Concrete Research","volume":"199 ","pages":"Article 108052"},"PeriodicalIF":13.1,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145183117","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Jianhui He , Mai Zhang , Zhenbin Lei , Ji Liu , Yulian Deng , Jinhai Lu , Lu Yang , Fazhou Wang
{"title":"High ferrite Portland cement: Synergistic influence of Q phase and gypsum on hydration kinetics","authors":"Jianhui He , Mai Zhang , Zhenbin Lei , Ji Liu , Yulian Deng , Jinhai Lu , Lu Yang , Fazhou Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.cemconres.2025.108029","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cemconres.2025.108029","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>High ferrite Portland cement (HFPC), a low-carbon alternative to ordinary Portland cement with reduced C<sub>3</sub>S and C<sub>3</sub>A alongside elevated C<sub>4</sub>AF and C<sub>2</sub>S, exhibits insufficient early- and mid-term strength development due to sluggish hydration kinetics. To address this limitation, the synergistic effects of Q phase (Ca<sub>20</sub>Al<sub>26</sub>Mg<sub>3</sub>Si<sub>3</sub>O<sub>68</sub>) clinker (0–12 wt%) and gypsum (0–8 wt%) on the hydration regulation, mechanical properties and microstructure evolution of HFPC were systematically investigated. Results demonstrate that a hybrid formulation containing 6 wt% Q phase clinker and 4 wt% gypsum achieves a 1-day compressive strength comparable to pure HFPC while significantly enhancing the 28-day strength to over 90 MPa. Gypsum addition was found to mitigate the early-stage hydration retardation induced by Q phase, primarily by promoting the nucleation and stabilization of ettringite. This synergy elongates C-(A-)S-H chains and enhances chloride binding than HFPC, with concurrent porosity reduction and pore size distribution homogenization collectively boosting mechanical and durability performance.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":266,"journal":{"name":"Cement and Concrete Research","volume":"199 ","pages":"Article 108029"},"PeriodicalIF":13.1,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144987700","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Quantifying the impact of montmorillonite on water demand and polycarboxylate superplasticizer efficiency in cement pastes","authors":"Shengnan Sha, Yuliang Wang, Hailong Ye","doi":"10.1016/j.cemconres.2025.108031","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cemconres.2025.108031","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The presence of montmorillonite (MMT) as an impurity in aggregates and limestone diminishes the plasticization efficacy of polycarboxylate ether (PCE) superplasticizers in fresh cement pastes. Despite extensive research efforts to elucidate the mechanisms behind the reduced efficacy of PCE in cementitious systems with MMT and to design tailored PCE molecules with enhanced MMT tolerance, quantitative insights into PCE behavior, specifically surface adsorption and intercalation, within cement pastes containing MMT remain ambiguous. In this work, a delayed addition method was employed to investigate how two PCEs with different side-chain lengths (P-1000 and P-3000) influence the flowability of cement-MMT pastes through quantification of their adsorption and intercalation behavior. The results indicate that approximately 1 g of MMT necessitates an additional 3 g of water to achieve the equivalent fluidity as the plain mixture without MMT. The maximum adsorption of PCE on MMT in cement-MMT pastes was approximately 35 mg/g, below the threshold (∼40 mg/g) required for intercalation. This demonstrates that the reduction in fluidity primarily arises from the extensive surface adsorption driven by the high specific surface area of MMT, which decreases the availability of PCE for effective dispersion of cement particles.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":266,"journal":{"name":"Cement and Concrete Research","volume":"199 ","pages":"Article 108031"},"PeriodicalIF":13.1,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145026712","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Di Yu , Jie Li , Mengxia Xu , Jun He , Bo Li , Yin Wang
{"title":"Conversion of hazardous waste into calcium sulfoaluminate cement: effect of alkalinity modulus on mineral composition and Fe2O3 incorporation in Ye'elimite","authors":"Di Yu , Jie Li , Mengxia Xu , Jun He , Bo Li , Yin Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.cemconres.2025.108028","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cemconres.2025.108028","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The production of calcium sulfoaluminate (CSA) cement using hazardous wastes can enhance its sustainability and economic benefits. Incorporating Fe<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> into ye'elimite can reduce the Al<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> demand in waste-based CSA cement, while the influence of alkalinity modulus (Cm) on this incorporation remains unclear. This study synthesised CSA cement clinker from hazardous wastes with varying Cm. Results show that forming inert phases like C<sub>2</sub>AS and Fe<sub>2</sub>SiO<sub>4</sub> hinders the synthesis of hydraulically active minerals, requiring a higher Cm of 1.10 to attain the highest 28-day compressive strength of 76.4 MPa. Additionally, increasing Cm reduces the Fe/(Al + Fe) ratio in ye'elimite, particularly in low-aluminium clinkers. This contributes to the transformation of C<sub>4</sub>A<sub>3</sub><span><math><mover><mi>S</mi><mo>¯</mo></mover></math></span>-o to C<sub>4</sub>A<sub>3</sub><span><math><mover><mi>S</mi><mo>¯</mo></mover></math></span>-c and the slowed hydration. However, facilitated ye'elimite formation under higher Cm and increased Al<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> content in feedstock leads to more Fe<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> being incorporated into ye'elimite. This study provides guidance on regulating Fe<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> incorporation in the production of waste-based CSA cement clinker.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":266,"journal":{"name":"Cement and Concrete Research","volume":"199 ","pages":"Article 108028"},"PeriodicalIF":13.1,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144930577","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Kaidong Han , Tengfei Guo , Fei Meng , Yandong Guo , Xin Shu , Qianping Ran
{"title":"New insight into structural build-up modification by PCE superplasticizers during early C3A hydration","authors":"Kaidong Han , Tengfei Guo , Fei Meng , Yandong Guo , Xin Shu , Qianping Ran","doi":"10.1016/j.cemconres.2025.108048","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cemconres.2025.108048","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The much-complicated physical and chemical modification effects induced by PCE pose significant challenges in elucidating the role of C<sub>3</sub>A hydration in structural build-up. The research reveals a two-stage structural build-up in C<sub>3</sub>A-gypsum-CaCO₃ pastes, wherein varying dosages of PCE significantly influence the dynamics. The dominant driving force of structural build-up is the enhancement of colloidal interparticle bonds among bare surfaces. PCE weakens these bonds strength through steric hindrance and reduces the increment of number of these bonds due to its preferential adsorption on surfaces of ettringite formed in the solution. We identify two distinct structural build-up rates: a logarithmic growth rate (<em>G</em><sub>AFt</sub>) associated with the number of bonds between bare surfaces, and a linear growth rate (<em>G</em><sub>thix</sub>) linked to bond strength. As PCE preferentially adsorbs onto C<sub>3</sub>A particles, the reduction in <em>G</em><sub>AFt</sub> occurs more rapidly than that of <em>G</em><sub>thix</sub> with increasing surface coverage, which causes the dominant driving force during the first stage to shift from bond number to bond strength. Consequently, the strengthening of these bonds remains the predominant factor throughout the structural development with escalating PCE dosages, explaining why, at higher PCE levels, a coherent developmental pattern is observable across both stages.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":266,"journal":{"name":"Cement and Concrete Research","volume":"199 ","pages":"Article 108048"},"PeriodicalIF":13.1,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145181259","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Reduction of drying shrinkage via C-S-H densification: The role of early-age thermal history","authors":"Yuto Kanda , Ryo Kurihara , Ippei Maruyama","doi":"10.1016/j.cemconres.2025.108037","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cemconres.2025.108037","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study investigated the influence of curing temperature on the drying shrinkage behavior of cement paste by analyzing calcium silicate hydrate (C-S-H) microstructural changes. Ordinary Portland cement specimens were cured at 20, 60, and 80 °C and exposed to varying relative humidity conditions (11–95% RH). The microstructural evolution of C-S-H was quantitatively assessed using <sup>1</sup>H NMR relaxometry and X-ray diffraction/Rietveld analysis.</div><div>Through evaluation of C-S-H density and specific surface area, we established that the densification mechanism induced by high-temperature curing mirrors the C-S-H stacking process during drying. This was supported by a consistent linear correlation between specific surface area and bulk density across all curing temperatures, indicating that high-temperature-cured specimens had already undergone partial shrinkage during curing. These findings provide a mechanistic explanation for the reduced drying shrinkage susceptibility of cement-based materials cured at elevated temperatures.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":266,"journal":{"name":"Cement and Concrete Research","volume":"199 ","pages":"Article 108037"},"PeriodicalIF":13.1,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145084034","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}