The effect of modifying grinding aids with PCE on grinding efficiency and powder flowability

Cement grinding is an energy-intensive process, and while grinding aids (GAs) are common, research into hybrid systems combining different chemical mechanisms remains limited. This study evaluates the efficiency of hybrid GAs formulated by blending polycarboxylate ether (PCE) with traditional alkanolamines-triisopropanolamine (TIPA) and diethanolisopropanolamine (DEIPA)-and diethylene glycol (DEG). These formulations were tested against pure admixtures during the laboratory-scale ball milling of CEM I 42.5R cement at dosages of 0.05% and 0.1%. Results indicate that hybrid admixtures significantly outperform pure systems in reducing energy consumption. The P-DEIPA (PCE and DEIPA blend) emerged as the most efficient, achieving up to 14.4% energy savings compared to the control. Particle size distribution analysis suggests a synergistic effect: PCE prevents agglomeration while alkanolamines enhance fine-particle production, resulting in a high fraction (76.4%) of particles in the 0-32 μm range for P-DEIPA. Flowability indices-including the Carr index and angle of repose-showed improved powder characteristics across all treated samples, with the P-TIPA hybrid showing the most significant enhancement. Regarding mechanical performance, while pure TIPA yielded the highest compressive strengths (40.5 MPa at early age; 52.0 MPa at late age), the strength development of hybrid systems was influenced by a complex balance of physical refinement and hydration chemistry. These findings highlight the potential of hybrid formulations to optimize both grinding efficiency and cement performance.