Revealing the hydration mechanisms in iron-rich calcium sulfoaluminate cements with elevated bauxite residue content

The goal of the study was to investigate the reactivity at different Blaine, hydration behavior, and performance of calcium sulfoaluminate-ferrite cement (CSA-F). The raw meal incorporated bauxite residue (38 wt%) fired at 1260 °C and 1300 °C for 30 and 60 minutes. Based on multi-objective optimization, an optimum dosage of citric acid ranges between 0.4<x<0.6 wt% with a w/b ratio of 0.45 was chosen for the mortar evaluation and hydration studies. At an early age, monosulfates-AFm only started appearing for 1300_30. In the later age, an increase in ettringite formation was only reported at 1300°C for 60 min due to the dissolution of the Ternesite phase after 7d of hydration. Later-age studies after 28d reported ettringite, monosulfates, hydrogarnets (except for 1300_60), and strätlingite had formed. The 28d highest compressive strength was reported for 1300_60 corresponding to the highest bound water and amorphous content from the pore filling ettringite and amorphous stratlingite.