Ultrafine Ground Research Articles

Development and Characterization of Basalt Fiber-Reinforced Green Concrete Utilizing Coconut Shell Aggregates

Lightweight aggregate concrete (LWAC) is gaining interest due to its reduced weight, high strength, and durability while being cost-effective. This research proposes a method to design an LWAC by integrating coconut shell (CS) as coarse lightweight aggregate and a high volume of wet-grinded ultrafine ground granulated blast furnace slag (UGGBS). To optimize the mix design of LWAC, a particle packing model was employed. A comparative analysis was conducted between normal-weight concrete (M40) and the optimized LWAC reinforced with basalt fibers (BF). The parameters analyzed include CO2 emissions, density, surface crack conditions, water absorption and porosity, sorptivity, and compressive and flexural strength. The optimal design was determined using the packing density method. Also, the impact of BF was investigated at varying levels (0%, 0.15%, and 1%). The results revealed that the incorporation of UGGBS had a substantial enhancement to the mechanical properties of LWAC when BF and CS were incorporated. As a significant finding of this research, a grade 30 LWAC with demolded density of 1864 kg/m3 containing only 284 kg/m3 cement was developed. The LWAC with high-volume UGGBS and BF had the minimum CO2 emissions at 390.9 kg/t, marking a reduction of about 31.6% compared to conventional M40-grade concrete. This research presents an introductory approach to sustainable, environmentally friendly, high-strength, and low-density concrete production by using packing density optimization, thereby contributing to both environmental conservation and structural outcomes.

Common Wheat Pasta Enriched with Ultrafine Ground Oat Husk: Physicochemical and Sensory Properties.

Oat husk (hull) is a byproduct of oat processing that is rich in insoluble fiber. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of partially replacing wheat flour with oat husk (at levels of 0, 5, 10, 15, and 20 g/100 g) on the physicochemical properties and sensory acceptance of pasta. Additionally, UPLC-MS/MS analysis was performed to identify phenolic acids and flavonoid compounds, and the cooking properties of the pasta were evaluated. The test results indicate that oat husk significantly (p < 0.05) increased the ash and fiber contents in the pasta, while decreasing the protein and fat contents. Moreover, the redness and yellowness of both raw and cooked pasta increased, while lightness decreased as a result of pasta enrichment with oat husk. Oat husk also led to a decrease in the stretching force of cooked samples, although cooking loss increased significantly but did not exceed 8%. The contents of phenolics and antioxidant activity significantly increased with the incorporation of hull in pasta recipes. UPLC-MS/MS analysis showed that the enriched pasta was especially abundant in ferulic acid. Products with up to 10 g of husk/100 g of wheat flour showed good consumer acceptance. However, higher levels of this additive led to notably lower assessments, particularly in terms of pasta texture.

Heterogeneous Hierarchical Self-Assembly Forming Crystalline Nanocellulose–CaCO3 Hybrid Nanoparticle Biocomposites

Nanocellulose is increasingly proposed as a sustainable raw material having strong interparticle bonding. However, cellulose alone has limited bending and impact resistance. We newly observe self-assembly between crystalline nanocellulose (CNC) and ultrafine ground chemical-free calcium carbonate nanoparticles (UGCC). The suspension displays an intrinsic gel-like state, and heterogeneous adsorption occurs under the specific conditions where Brownian motion of both species is arrested by application of ultralow shear (0.01 s−1). In contrast, simple static aging of the mixture leads to autoflocculation of each species independently. The heterogeneous adsorption results in compound particle self-assembly leading to multi-level hierarchical structures depending on relative species size and concentration ratio. Fine particles from species 1 adsorb onto the coarser complementary particles of species 2 and vice versa. Depending also on whether CNC or UGCC particles are in excess, the structural assembly occurs primarily through either CNC–CNC hydrogen bonding or CaCO3–CaCO3 autogenous flocculation, respectively. Controlling the hierarchical composite structure bonding in this way, the resulting morphology can express dual or predominantly single either mineralic or cellulosic surface properties. Novel complex hybrid biocomposite materials can therefore be produced having designable compatibility across a broad range of both natural and oil-based polymeric materials. Both CNC and UGCC are exemplified here via commercial products.

Mechanical and bond behaviour of high volume Ultrafine-slag blended fly ash based alkali activated concrete

The development of Geopolymer concrete (GPC) mixes by employing large volume of ultrafine ground granulated blast furnace slag (UBFS) blended with Fly ash (FA) and activated by sodium hydroxide (SH) has been presented in this study. Several GPC mixes has been prepared to investigate the effect of varying alkali content, fine aggregate to total aggregate ratio (s/a) and molar concentration (M) of alkali activator on the fresh and hardened characteristics, including the bond strength with Portland cement concrete (PCC). The properties of the GPC mixes are assessed by workability test, compressive strength test, split tensile strength test and slant shear test, including the microstructure through FESEM (Field Emission Scan Electron Microscopy) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The test result shows that s/a ratio is a crucial factor in controlling segregation and bleeding in GPC. However, an ideal GPC mix with s/a ratio 0.41 provides a better packing resulting in improved mechanical properties. Application of high volume UBFS in the GPC exhibits better reaction products as shown by the microstructure at a relatively lower alkali concentration which ultimately leads to higher strength. Superior bond strength is achieved between the GPC and old PCC substrate; however, the molarity of SH significantly affects the adhesion property of GPC.

Hydration and rheology of activated ultra-fine ground granulated blast furnace slag with carbide slag and anhydrous phosphogypsum

In this study, two different ultra-fine ground granulated blast furnace slag referred to as GS (i.e., by dry-winnowing method) and WS (i.e., by wet-grinding method) were obtained, and the hydration and rheology of activated ultra-fine ground granulated blast furnace slag (activated-BFS) with carbide slag and anhydrous phosphogypsum (AG) as combined activator were systematically investigated by means of setting time, workability, rheological behavior, compressive strength, autogenous shrinkage, electrical resistivity, SEM, XRD and TG-DTG. The results showed that the limiting factor is the BFS type, and not the AG dosage in terms of setting time, and their rheological behavior fitted with H–B model. WS and increase in AG dosage significantly reduced the plastic viscosity, shear stress and yield stress of activated-BFS pastes. The WS presented higher initial reaction activity that generated more hydrates in the early age, restricting the further hydration of BFS particles especially when AG dosage exceeded 10%, thus leading to the different compressive strength development trends between mixtures containing WS (WS/A) and GS (GS/A). The compressive strength of GS/A mixtures increased with increasing AG dosage and reached 39.9 MPa at 3 days, while WS/A first increased and then decreased. The activated-BFS with carbide slag and AG is technically feasible to be employed as cementitious materials in the production of concrete.

Eco-friendly UHPC prepared from high volume wet-grinded ultrafine GGBS slurry

The development of ultra-high performance (UHPC) concrete was restricted due to the large consumption and high cost of cement. In this study, eco-friendly UHPC was prepared by ultra-high content of wet-grinded ultrafine ground granulated blast furnace slag (UGGBS). And the content of mineral admixture in the cementitious system is up to 50%, of which UGGBS is as high as 40%. It was proved that the mechanical development, microstructure and hydration process of UHPC were significantly improved by UGGBS. The results showed that the compressive strength of G0UG20 was increased by 27% and 15% at 3 and 28 days compared with the reference group. Even if the cement content was reduced, the compressive strength of high volume UGGBS blended UHPC was still higher than the reference group. The addition of UGGBS significantly refined the pore structure and densified the hardened system. Meanwhile, the MCL and Al/Si of C-S-H gels were improved by UGGBS. In terms of environmental and economic benefits, the CO2 emissions and production costs were reduced by the addition of UGGBS.

Mechanical and Microstructural Properties of Copper Slag Based Blended Geopolymer Concrete

This work presents a novel way to examine the characteristics of fly ash, copper slag (CPS) along with the addition of Ultrafine Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag (UFGGBFS) based Geopolymer Concrete (GPC) for various molarities (10M, 12M and 14M). In GPC, fly ash was replaced with UFGGBFS (5 %, 10 % and 15 %) and copper slag was used as fine aggregate. Mechanical Characterization such as split tensile, flexural strength, workability and water absorption were conducted . GPC characterization and microstructural behaviour was studied by examining X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). From experimental results this study concludes that with a rise in molarity of GPC, along with incorporation of UFGGBFS, improved the performance, densification and strength of GPC.

Ground tire rubber filled low-density polyethylene: The effect of particle size

In the present study, we investigated the possibility of value-added recycling of ultrafine ground tire rubber (uGTR) produced from water jet milling, with an average particle size of a few tens of microns. Our goal was to compare the properties of blends with different uGTR and conventional fine ground tire rubber (fGTR) contents prepared by blending with low-density polyethylene (LDPE). We also aimed to explore the property changes caused by the larger specific surface area due to the size effect. Samples were prepared with a hydraulic press after internal mixing. In the case of ground tire rubber (GTR) filled mixtures, the tensile properties showed rubber-like characteristics: with a significant decrease in modulus, elongation at break remained high, and tensile strength slightly decreased. The fracture surfaces of the samples were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), wherein the case of materials made with uGTR showed better adhesion between the phases. In order to investigate the interfacial adhesion between the GTR and LDPE, we performed dynamic mechanical thermal analysis (DMTA). The glass transition peak of the uGTR shifted to a higher temperature and the storage modulus was higher than in the case of samples containing fGTR. Finally, we determined the Shore D hardness of the materials, which decreased with increasing GTR content, but hardness was greater in the case of uGTR samples. The better mechanical properties of blends containing uGTR were explained by better interfacial adhesion between the two phases due to the significantly higher specific surface area compared to fGTR.

Correlations between the Hardened Properties of Combination Type SCC Containing UFGGBFS

Abstract This study aims to develop models to correlate the different hardened properties of ultra-fine ground granulated blast-furnace slag (UFGGBFS) admixed SCC mixtures. Seven self-compacting concrete mixtures (SCC-A to SCC-G) were produced with a high powder content of 587 ± 2 kg/m3. The 450 kg/m3 (76 %) of powder was derived from the binders, and the remaining 137 ± 2 kg/m3 (24 %) was obtained from the powder particles (&amp;lt;125 µm) existing in the crushed stone sand. UFGGBFS was utilized as a supplementary binder. Properties of these SCC mixtures were evaluated in fresh as well as in the hardened state. The homogeneity, surface hardness, chloride permeability, electrical resistivity, and absorption of hardened SCC were detected with ultrasonic pulse velocity (UPV), rebound hammer, rapid chloride permeability, Wenner’s four-probe electrical resistivity, and water absorption test methods, respectively. All the seven SCC mixtures demonstrated a nonsegregating flowability and excellent passability without stacking and blocking. At 28, the mix SCC-B recorded a maximum strength of 54 MPa and 4.41 MPa under cube compression and splitting tensile tests, respectively. Moreover, the mix SCC-G demonstrated a 30-MPa compressive strength with a significant cement range of 150 kg/m3. Correlations between the various properties of SCC was also arrived using the experimental results, and it was compared with the existing models.

Characteristics of Blended Geopolymer Concrete Using Ultrafine Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag and Copper Slag

This paper presents the properties of blended geopolymer concrete manufactured using fly ash and ultrafine Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag (UFGGBFS), along with the copper slag (CPS) as replacement of fine aggregate (crushed stone sand). Various parameters considered in this study include different sodium hydroxide concentrations (10M, 12M and 14M); 0.35 as alkaline liquid to binder ratio; 2.5 as sodium silicate to sodium hydroxide ratio and cured in ambient curing condition. Further, geopolymer concrete was manufactured using fly ash as the prime source material which is replaced with UFGGBFS (0%, 5%, 10% and 15%). Copper slag has been used as replacement of fine aggregate in this study. Properties of the fresh manufactured geopolymer concrete were studied by slump test. Compressive strength of the manufactured geopolymer concrete was tested and recorded after curing for 3, 7 and 28 days. Microstructure Characterization of Geopolymer concrete specimens was done by Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) analysis. Experimental results revealed that the addition of UFGGBFS resulted in an increased strength performance of geopolymer concrete. Also, this study demonstrated that the strength of geopolymer concrete increased with an increase in sodium hydroxide concentration. SEM results revealed that the addition of UFGGBFS resulted in a dense structure.

Preparation of sustainable and green cement-based composite binders with high-volume steel slag powder and ultrafine blast furnace slag powder

Abstract The mechanical properties and hydration mechanism of ultrafine ground granulated blast furnace slag powder (UFS)-cement-steel slag powder (SS) ternary cementitious material systems were studied. The chemical effects and contribution ratios of UFS and SS in ternary system at different hydration ages were also investigated. The results show that by adding UFS, the mechanical properties of concrete composites with high-volume SS conforming to the gap-graded particle size distribution are significantly enhanced. The close-packing effect between particles and the pore size distribution of hardened pastes are improved. The strength of cement matrix without any waste is still the highest. The SS has a negative impact on the hydration and strength development of the system at the early hydration ages, but it has a certain promoting effect at later hydration ages. UFS has a visible improvement effect on the hydration and the strength development of the system at both early and later hydration ages. The contribution ratio of UFS was analyzed and was found to be higher than that of SS apparently.

Impact of Ultrafine Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag on the Properties of High Strength Durable Concrete

Ultrafine ground granulated blast furnace slag (UFGGBFS), because of its pozzolanic nature, could be an extraordinary resource for the advanced development needs, since slag cements concrete can be of elite, if properly planned. Improvement of the durability properties of concrete to support a more extended life expectancy and creating a climate amicable greener concrete are turning out to be significant standards in getting high quality concrete. Fusing Ultrafine Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag (UFGGBFS) as a mineral admixture enhances the workability of fresh concrete and decreased the link between pores; in this way, decreasing the permeability and improving the obstruction of the solid against chloride infiltration. The measure of ozone depleting substance delivered in making the concrete and the energy needed to create the concrete are significantly decreased with the utilization of UFGGBFS. Ultrafine GGBFS (UFGGBFS) with a normal molecule size less than 10m and a Blaine surface area more than 600m2/kg can significantly improve the properties of the concrete as far as diffusion and chemical reactivity impacts. Compared with GGBFS, the UFGGBFS increases the rate of hydration and pozzolanic responses and has a superior filling impact. In this study, the early development of mechanical strength and permeability properties of high strength concrete with UFGGBFS is examined. Total five mixes with 180kg/m3 each of both Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) concrete and Ultrafine Ground Granulated Blast furnace Slag (UFGGBFS) concrete were designed. The mixes starts from 0% replacement and gradually increases up to 20% (i.e 0, 5, 10, 15 and 20%) of identical all total cementitious materials with UFGGBFS substitution were planned and a sum of 145 samples from the five blends were projected. Compressive strength parameters, flexural strength parameter, modulus of elasticity parameter and water permeability test outcomes are introduced.

The hydration properties of ultra-fine ground granulated blast-furnace slag cement with a low water-to-binder ratio

Based on the fundamental principles of preparing reactive powder concrete (RPC), a new type of RPC was composed by replacing cement with the active powder component ultra-fine ground granulated blast-furnace slag (GGBS). GGBS is proposed as a potential alternative to silica fume (SF), which is currently the most commonly used RPC mineral admixture. In order to improve the brittleness of RPC, a steel fibre with appropriate length/diameter ratio was added. The ultra-fine GGBS (UFS) or SF replacement level was 20% by mass, with a water-to-binder (w/b) ratio of 0.18. The concrete specimens were pre-cured for 6 h at 20 °C and then exposed to steam curing conditions for 3 days. This study investigates the effects of the UFS and the SF on the durability of the RPC by examining the hydration properties, mechanical properties and permeability of RPC. Test results reveal that replacing the cement with UFS or SF does have a significant effect on the hydration properties, our results indicate that the inclusion of SF or UFS can accelerate the early hydration of cement and increase the consumption of Ca(OH)2. The mercury porosimetry and chloride ion penetration tests results revealed that RPC has a very low porosity and very dense structure. RPC with the addition of steel fibre exhibited a higher compressive strength than the RPC without steel fibre. Incorporating UFS into RPC had similar advantages to incorporating SF, but UFS proved to be the more economical admixture.

Durability Performance of Self Compacting Concrete Incorporating Alccofine and Fly Ash

The cost associated with the application of large volume of cement and synthetic admixtures was one of the major drawbacks of Self Compacting Concrete (SCC), which can be reduced by the use of supplementary cementitious materials (SCM). When the demand of cement reduces, the release of carbon dioxide (CO2) from cement industries will come down, which has a positive impact on global warming. The present paper reports an attempt in this direction by experimental examination on the fresh properties and durability performance of SCC by replacing cement with SCM such as fly ash (FA) and ultra-fine Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag (GGBS) in varying ratios. SCC mix was obtained by fixing the water-binder ratio and superplasticizer (SP) dosage with respect to total cementitious content. Along with the Fresh properties, SCC mixes incorporating both alccofine and fly ash at 10 and 25%, respectively; which gave the best fresh properties were selected to assess the durability issues. Incorporating 10% alccofine and 25% fly ash gave the best result in both fresh and durability studies in comparison with other combinations.

Effect of Ultrafine Grinding Pretreatment on the Cellulose Fibers and Nanocrystals from Wheat Straw

To investigate the effect of ultrafine grinding pretreatment on the isolation of wheat straw cellulose fibers and nanocrystals, wheat straw at cellular scale (50–30 m) were produced with different ultrafine grinding time prior to extract cellulose fibers and nanocrystals. Cellulose fibers were obtained by 4% sodium hydroxide and alkaline hydrogen peroxide treatment from ultrafine ground wheat straw. Morphological changes were observed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy showed the removal of non-cellulosic components and the rearrangement of hydrogen bonds in cellulose. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis revealed the decrease of crystalline index with grinding time prolonged and the formation of cellulose II in alkali treated 8.0 h ultrafine ground wheat straw. Cellulose nanocrystals were produced from these cellulose fibers using 64% sulfuric acid hydrolysis treatment. Morphological examination through atomic force microscope (AFM) showed that the length of rod-like CNCs decreased with prolonged ultrafine grinding time in 2.0 h and then increased due to the formation of cellulose II.

Artificial Neural Network to Predict the Compressive Strength of Semilightweight Concrete Containing Ultrafine GGBS

Abstract Design strength is usually determined after a 28-day curing period as per codal provisions. The prediction of compressive strength before curing reduces waiting time and expedites regular construction activity. The aim of this study is to develop a neural network model to predict the 28-day compressive strength of semilightweight concrete (sLWC) containing ultrafine ground granulated blast-furnace slag (UFGGBS). In this investigation, a novel lightweight coarse aggregate that is made up of wood ash was used to prepare sLWC. Six input parameters, such as cement, UFGGBS as cement replacement, lightweight wood ash pellets as coarse aggregate, fine aggregate, water content, and superplasticizer, were used to train the model. The 28-day compressive strength was taken as an output parameter. A total of 384 data was collected from 24 sLWC mixes, each containing 16 specimens, and trained in an artificial neural network (ANN) using a feedforward-backpropagation model. Trained data were validated with a set of tested data. The correlation coefficient R2 values for trained and tested data were 0.932 and 0.917, respectively, with least errors. The study concluded that ANN was a reliable and fast tool for predicting the compressive strength of sLWC. It also efficiently reduced cost and time.

Comparative evaluation of the saving of binder WITH fine ground slag

The use of ground granulated blast furnace slag is one of significant reserves to enhance the cost and technical properties of cement composites. slag corresponding to the portland cement fineness is often used. ultra-fine slags from industrial by-products with high specific surface area can be used with grinding technology development. two types of ultra-fine ground granulated blast furnace slag were studied in portland cement-slag compositions. the results of reduction of total binder amount per 1 kg of plasticizing admixture were obtained and discussed. reduction of binder amount was explained by water-reducing effects of plasticizing admixture in portland cement-slag compositions depending on type, quantity and fineness of slag.

A comparison study on the effects of dietary conventional and ultra-fine ground palygorskite supplementation on the growth performance and digestive function of broiler chickens

This study aimed to compare the effects of conventional and ultra-fine ground palygorskite (Pal) supplementation on the growth performance and digestive function of broilers. A total of 192 one-day-old Arbor Acres broilers were randomly divided into three treatments with eight replicates of eight birds each (four males and four females). The broilers in the three groups were fed with a basal diet (control group), or the basal diet supplemented with 10 g/kg of either conventional or ultra-fine ground Pal during a 42-day feeding experiment. Compared to the control group, broilers fed the basal diet supplemented with the ultra-fine Pal exhibited a lower feed to gain ratio from 22 to 42 and from 1 to 42 days of age (P < .05), whereas similar effects were not observed in their counterparts receiving the conventional ground Pal (P > .05). No differences were observed in serum biochemical parameters or relative weight of the digestive organ among groups (P > .05). Dietary ultra-fine ground Pal supplementation increased the apparent utilization of organic matter and ether extract from 38 to 40 days of age compared to the control group (P < .05), whereas conventional ground Pal supplementation did not affect utilization of the measured nutrients (P > .05). Moreover, the apparent organic matter utilization of broilers was increased by ultra-fine ground Pal supplementation from 38 to 40 days of age compared to supplementation with conventional ground Pal (P < .05). The broilers fed a basal diet supplemented with the ultra-fine ground Pal exhibited higher pancreatic amylase activity at 42 days of age than those receiving the basal diet supplemented with or without conventional ground Pal (P < .05). Compared to the control group, broilers fed the basal diet supplemented with the ultra-fine ground Pal, but not the conventional ground Pal, exhibited a higher ileal villus height-to-crypt depth ratio at 42 days of age (P < .05). In conclusion, dietary ultra-fine ground Pal supplementation elicited more pronounced improvements on the growth performance and digestive function of broilers than its conventional ground counterpart.

Geopolymers vs. alkali-activated materials (AAMs): A comparative study on durability, microstructure, and resistance to elevated temperatures of lightweight mortars

This paper studied the durability, microstructure, and fire behavior of lightweight mortars based on cement, metakaolin (MK), ultrafine ground granulated blast furnace slag (UGGBFS), ceramic waste powder (CWP), and clay brick waste powder (CBWP). Two sets of mixes were prepared with two types of lightweight aggregate including lightweight expanded clay aggregate (LECA) and pumice aggregate. Regarding the durability assessment, the electrical resistivity and water absorption of the mortars were measured. The UGGBFS-based alkali-activated mortar with pumice aggregate exhibited the highest electrical resistivity and lowest water absorption, while CBWP-based geopolymer mortar with LECA showed the lowest electrical resistivity, and the water absorption of this mortar was 62% higher than that of the equivalent cement mortar. In addition, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images showed that UGGBFS-based mortar developed a dense matrix with few pores; whereas, incomplete geopolymerization and voids were detected in CWP- and CBWP-based mortars. Furthermore, the effect of elevated temperatures ranging from 23 to 800 °C on the compressive strength of specimens was investigated. According to the results, CWP- and CBWP-based mortars showed the best performance and retained about 54% and 49% of their original strength at 800 °C, respectively. Furthermore, a statistical study was carried out on the fire test results to quantify the contribution of different parameters using analysis of variance (ANOVA) method. It was shown that temperature was the most influential parameter.

Effects of ultra-fine ground granulated blast-furnace slag on initial setting time, fluidity and rheological properties of cement pastes

The initial setting time, fluidity and rheological properties of compound paste systems containing ultra-fine GGBS (UFS) were studied. The replacement of UFS into cement results in fast setting. An increase in the dosage of UFS shortened the initial setting time gradually due to the shortening of the induction period. Under the same UFS dosage, the induction period and initial setting time of the pastes was shorter in proportion to the fineness of the particles. The UFS showed a negative effect on the fluidity, and increasing the dosage of UFS gradually reduced the initial fluidity of the pastes. However, an interesting phenomenon was observed: for the same dosage of polycarboxylate superplasticizer (PCE), the initial fluidity was approximately the same as the increasing dosage of UFS. These results indicate that a possible positive synergistic effect on the initial fluidity was exerted due to the combination of UFS and the PCE, indicating that the UFS benefits the dispersing efficiency of PCE and the fluidity preservation of the pastes. The cement paste with UFS showed adverse effects on the rheological behaviour. The yield stress (τ0) and the plastic viscosity (ηp) increased with the rising dosage of UFS. Under the period of steady-state shearing (1800 s), the initial shear stress (τi) and minimum shear stress (τmin) increased consistently as the UFS content increased. However, adding PCE to the cement-UFS system resulted in rheological properties opposite to those of the pastes without PCE; the τi and τmin decreased as the UFS content increased. The results also confirmed the positive synergy effects between the UFS and the PCE.