Study on the effect and mechanism of microwave excitation on the activity of recycled powder of waste concrete

Abstract

By crushing the prepared cement paste, the recycled powder (RP) was prepared by grinding. The study systematically investigated the effects of microwave power and activation time on the activity of RP. The results showed that the maximum enhancement in the activity of RP occurs when the microwave power is set to 490 W and the activation time is 10 minutes, with the activity increased by 14 %, 15 %, and 22 % at 3, 7, and 28 days, respectively. After microwave activation of RP, the decomposition of C-(A)-S-H and ettringite in the RP provides calcium, silicon, and aluminum phases, and the evaporation of bound water promotes the secondary hydration of RP. After microwave activation, the content of calcium oxide (CaO) in the RP increases, while the contents of silicon dioxide (SiO2) and alumina oxide (Al2O3) decrease; Adding activated RP to prepare mortar generates more hydration products to fill the pores, making the structure more compact. Compared with the control group, the porosity of the MRP-5 group decreased by 2.38 %.