Hydration and Mechanical Properties of Blended Cement with Copper Slag Pretreated by Thermochemical Modification

The application of granulated copper slag (GCS) to partially replace cement is limited due to its low pozzolanic activity. In this paper, reconstituted granulated copper slag (RGCS) was obtained by adding alumina oxide (Al₂O₃) to liquid copper slag. Blended cement pastes were formulated by a partial substitute for ordinary Portland cement (OPC) with the RGCS (30 wt%). The pozzolanic activity, mechanical development, and the microstructure were characterized. The results show that 5-10 wt% Al₂O₃ contributes to the increase in magnetite precipitation in RGCS. The addition of Al₂O₃ alleviates the inhibition of C₃S by RGCS and accelerates the dissociation of RGCS active molecules, thus increasing the exothermic rate and cumulative heat release of the blended cement pastes, which are the highest in the CSA10 paste with the highest Al₂O₃ content (10 wt%) in RGCS. The unconfined compressive strength (UCS) values of blended cement mortar with 10 wt% Al₂O₃ added to RGCS reach 27.3, 47.4, and 51.3 MPa after curing for 7, 28 and 90 d, respectively, which are the highest than other blended cement mortars, and even exceed that of OPC mortar at 90 d of curing. The pozzolanic activity of RGCS is enhanced with the increase in Al₂O₃ addition, as evidenced by more portlandite being consumed in the CSA10 paste, forming more C-S-H (II) gel with a higher Ca/Si ratio, and a more compact microstructure with fewer pores than other pastes. This work provided a novel, feasible, and clean way to enhance the pozzolanic activity of GCS when it was used as a supplementary cementitious material.