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Compressive strength development and hydration of cement–fly ash composite treated with microwave irradiation

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Abstract

In order to investigate the relations between the microstructure and compressive strength of cement–fly ash-based material treated with microwave irradiation, the specimens microwave irradiated for 45 min was compared against that cured using (a) normal curing at 20 ± 1 °C, > 90% RH, (b) steam curing at 40 °C for 10 h and (c) steam curing at 80 °C for 4 h by performing compressive strength, X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetry–differential scanning calorimetry, scanning electron microscope–energy-dispersive spectroscopy and mercury intrusion porosimetry. The results show that although the early hydration degree of the microwave-cured composite is lower than that under steam curing, the microwave can significantly reduce the porosity, especially the pores less than 100 nm, to improve the early strength of mortar. The hydration degree of composite binder is similar to that under steam curing, and the porosity (especially the pores larger than 50 nm) of mortar under microwave curing is still the lowest, which makes compressive strength of mortar under microwave curing is the highest at later age.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to acknowledge the Twelfth Five-year National Science-technology Support Plan of China (2012BA20B02) for supporting this research.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Civil Engineering Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tongji University, 4800 Cao’an Road, Jiading District, Shanghai, 201804, China

    Yaning Kong & Peiming Wang

  2. State Key Laboratory of Water Resources and Hydropower Engineering Science, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430072, China

    Shuhua Liu

  3. China West Construction Group Co., LTD., Chengdu, 610000, China

    Yaning Kong

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  1. Yaning Kong
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  2. Peiming Wang
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  3. Shuhua Liu
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Correspondence to Peiming Wang.

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Kong, Y., Wang, P. & Liu, S. Compressive strength development and hydration of cement–fly ash composite treated with microwave irradiation. J Therm Anal Calorim 138, 123–133 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10973-019-08096-w

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10973-019-08096-w

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