Role of polyferric sulphate in hydration regulation of phosphogypsum-based excess-sulphate slag cement: A multiscale investigation.

Current demand for waste recycling, phosphogypsum-based excess-sulphate slag cement (PESSC) as a sustainable cement prepared by solid wastes, urges enhancing its performance development based on microstructure optimisation. For the purpose of improving the performance and durability of PESSC used in normal or corrosive environments, it is deemed an efficient technique to produce iron-doped compounds with high thermodynamic stability. This paper presents a systematic study of the effect of iron modification on PESSC binders by introducing 0%-2% polyferric sulphate (PFS) from a multiscale viewpoint. XPS, ²⁹ Si and ²⁷ Al NMR, and TEM were used to characterise the nanostructure of solid particles firstly at Level I. Then, the chemical composition and phase assemblage of PESSC binders were revealed at Level II in terms of ICC, ICP, DTG-DSC, FTIR, BSE-EDS and XRD. Finally, setting time and strength development were determined at Level III. Results indicated that the soluble FeOH ₄ ^- supplied by the hydrolysis of PFS promotes the generation of iron-doped ettringite with a greater length-to-diameter ratio and thermodynamic stability. Seeding effect of iron doping also promotes the production of spherical and retiform gels with a slight influence on the chemical components and polymerisation. Despite the fact that iron doping weakens the early strength of PESSC mortars, it promotes the persistent hydration rate by retarding precipitation and encapsulation of hydrates on the surface of the slag, showing excellent strength in the later stages. In view of microstructure evolution and performance development during each stage, PFS supplementation within 1.0% is considered a feasible modification of PESSC relying on the formation control of iron-doped hydrates.
Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.
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