Effect of activators on hybrid alkaline binder based on tungsten mining waste and ground granulated blast furnace slag

Abstract

This article illustrates the effects of different combinations of alkaline activator solutions (sodium silicate “SS”, sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide and dissolved waste glass powder in sodium hydroxide) as well as their concentrations and the Solid/Liquid ratios on the compressive strength development, and the microstructure of hybrid alkaline binder. The current study used a combination of tungsten mining waste mud (TMWM) (90 vt.%) and ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBFS) (10 vt.%) as precursors. The obtained hybrid alkaline binder specimens were submitted by compressive strength tests. It was found out that the alkaline activator (KOH when mixed with SS) improves the compressive strength of the hybrid alkaline binders compared to the alkaline activator (NaOH mixed with SS), which depends on the presence of alkali metal K+ and Na+ cations. Moreover, the samples prepared by the alkaline activator (dissolved waste glass powder in NaOH mixed with SS) giving the highest compressive strengthof about 32.8 MPa at 28 days. From the results of XRD, TGA-DTGA, FTIR analyses, and the obtained microstructures of the hybrid alkaline binders it indicates the existence of a different reaction product formed during the alkaline activation such as C-S-H, N-A-S-H, C-A-S-H, and K-A-S-H type cementitious gels. In addition to these conventional gels, there was a formation of a complex mixture of (C, M)-A-S-H cementitious gels were (M = K, Na). The pore structure of hybrid alkaline binder was evaluated through mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP). The pore structure of specimens was characterised by the total porosity, average pore diameter, pore size distribution as well as characteristic pore sizes. The MIP results indicate that the type of alkaline activators, solid/liquid ratios and the alkaline activators’ concentration have a specific impact on all characteristics of the pore structure of all the hybrid alkaline binders. Finally, the cost impact on the compressive strength for different activators was also analysed.