Abstract
This review provides the hydration and volume expansion mechanism of expansive materials, with the goal of utilizing them in the development of sustainable mining methods. The main focus of the review will be the newly developed non-destructible rock fragmentation method, slow releasing energy material agent (SREMA), which is a modified soundless chemical demolition agent (SCDA). The review aims to address one of the main gaps in studies related to SREMA, by presenting a thorough understanding of the components of SREMA and their mechanisms of action, leading to volume expansion. Thus, this review would act as a guide for researchers working on using expansive materials for rock breaking. As many literatures have not been published regarding the recently discovered SREMA, studies on cements, expansive cements, and soundless chemical demolition agents (SCDA) were mainly considered. The chemical reactions and volume expansive processes of these materials have been studied and incorporated with the additives included in SREMA, to understand its behavior. Literature containing experimental studies analyzing the heat of hydration and microstructural changes have been mostly considered along with some of the heavily discussed hypotheses regarding the hydration of certain components, to predict the volume expansive mechanism of SREMA. Studies related to SREMA and other similar materials have shown drastic changes in the heats of hydration as the composition varies. Thus, SREMA has the capability of giving a wider range of expansive energies in diverse environmental conditions
Highlights
As of 1970, the global population has doubled and the human lifestyle has become much more sophisticated, leading to the exploitation of energy sources and natural resources
To study the formation of the volume expansive phase via the hydration products, molecular-scale hydration was considered based on the conducted by Pustovgar et al, who suggested a proton transfer that occurs in the interface of the solid surface and water [44]
The retardation of alite solubility in the presence of aluminates have been further studied by Pustovgar et al [44] using various dosages of NaAlO2. They have concluded that aluminates tend to adsorb on to the active sites of alite promoting the formation of hydrated calcium aluminate (AFm phase) in the form of [Ca2 (Al,Fe)(OH)6 ]·X·xH2 O, where X is an exchangeable singly or doubly charged anion [69], enhancing the aluminum incorporation in calcium silicate hydrate (CSH) and increasing the amount of Calcium Aluminum Silicate hydrates (CASH)
Summary
As of 1970, the global population has doubled and the human lifestyle has become much more sophisticated, leading to the exploitation of energy sources and natural resources. When considering deep-earth mining and hydrocarbon extraction, which goes about five kilometers into the earth, this formula cannot be directly used This is mainly as expansive cements would tend to dilute in the presence of high-water content, eventually leading to the wash off of the product and uncontrolled hydration [13]. When SREMA is injected into the targeted zone via a borehole, it undergoes expansion causing fractures in the surrounding materials and exposing the fossil fuel, metals, minerals, or ores of interest, that may lie within This pre-treatment opens the rock, creating microfractures, which leads to the efficient extrusion of natural resources as the exposed area would be large. A molecular scale understanding of SREMA would aid in the further development of the composition, to obtain the necessary expansive pressure for specific ground conditions and cover the gap in studies
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