Foaming characteristics and microstructure of aerated steel slag block prepared by accelerated carbonation

Abstract

Abstract The present paper discusses investigated the foaming behaviors and microstructure of three aerated steel slag block (ASSB) samples prepared with three different foaming agents (namely animal protein, hydrogen peroxide, aluminum powder) and by accelerated carbonation. The composition and microstructure of the ASSB samples before and after accelerated carbonation were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Rietveld method, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM). It is an advisable method for foamed steel slag products to use the aluminum powder and accelerated carbonation technology. The aluminum powder favored a good foaming behavior for steel slag owing to (i) a high porosity and low dry density, (ii) a high hydration degree of minerals in steel slag, including brownmillerite, larnite, and lime, which was confirmed by the analysis of mineral compositions using Rietveld method, and (iii) the interlaced lamellas of monocarboaluminate and calcium silicate hydrate (C-S-H) gel strengthen the bubbles wall, which was confirmed by morphology analysis using FE-SEM. After accelerated carbonation, the monocarboaluminate shifted to aragonite, vaterite, calcite and amorphous aluminum hydroxide (Al(OH)3), which was confirmed by XRD, TGA and FT-IR. The network skeleton formed by aragonite crystals improved the compressive strength of ASSB prepared by aluminum powder. In addition, the reactions of the formation and carbonation of monocarboaluminate phase were proved to be thermodynamically possible in this work.