Acidic-resistant slag cement

The growing threat to concrete structures by acidic attack is a worrying topic of increasing significance all over the world. The sources of acidic media are mainly natural and industrial waters, acidic rains and silage effluents. The acidic vulnerability of the cement-based materials is their universal alkalinity, which makes them ever-willing partners for the interaction with an acidic medium. Therefore, no material based on the current mineral binder can be acid resistant. Therefore, ensuring the desirable life service of concrete structures in acidic media represents a worldwide crucial problem. The result of acidity is a gradual decomposition of hydration cement products followed by degradation of mechanical properties of concrete. The objective of this paper is to study the acid resistance of slag cement activated by silica fume alkali activator. Based on the observation of changes in chemical composition, pore structure and mechanical properties of the test specimens, a significantly higher acidic resistance was found when a silica fume activator was applied compared to the current sodium hydroxide activator.