Title:
Potential of grinding agent for enhancing chemical reactivity of blast furnace and steel slag materials
Author(s):
Juhyuk Moon, Jihoon Lee, and Seohyun Kim
Publication:
Symposium Paper
Volume:
369
Issue:
Appears on pages(s):
105-116
Keywords:
Triethanolamine; Grinding agent; Blast furnace slag; Steel slag; SCM; Hydration
DOI:
10.14359/51750725
Date:
5/1/2026
Abstract:
This study investigated the potential of functional grinding agent for lowering the cement usage in concrete industry. For instance, triethanolamine (TEA) as a grinding agent for blast furnace slag (BFS) and steel slag (SS) was previously studied by authors and reviewed herein. TEA promoted the formation of finer particles in both BFS and SS, although slight aggregation was observed. TEA itself was found to retard the hydration of C3S while accelerating the reaction of C3A, thereby enhancing AFm formation. In BFS-blended systems, AFm precipitated as hemicarbonate and monosulfate, whereas in SS-blended systems, mono- and hemicarbonate were identified. TEA also enhanced the reactivity of BFS, providing more alumina source into the systems, thereby promoting the transformation of ettringite into AFm phases. Consequently, the addition of TEA reduced the porosity and increased the compressive strength by up to 40% in BFS-blended systems and 27% in SS-blended systems. This indicates the potential of functional grinding agent which can be customized to enhance both physical fineness as well as chemical compatibility with cement-based materials.
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