Durability and environment evaluation of an eco-friendly cement-based material incorporating recycled chromium containing slag

Abstract

Abstract This study investigates the durability of cement-based materials incorporating recycled chromium containing slag (CCS), including chloride permeability, carbonation resistance, freeze-thaw cycle and microstructure development. Additionally, the environmental impacts on the cement-based material with the addition of CCS are evaluated by toxicity characteristic leaching procedure (TCLP), carbon dioxide (CO2) emission and energy consumption. The obtained results show that the durability properties of chromium containing slag concrete (CCSC) are improved based on the addition of 20–25 wt% CCS and 5–10 wt% silica fume (SF), and the hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) can be well immobilized in the cement-based product. Furthermore, the incorporation of recycled CCS can significantly reduce the energy consumption and CO2 emission of cement-based materials. Based on this study, it is possible to utilize the recycled CCS to produce a clean and durable eco-friendly construction product.