Influence of Nitrate Corrosion Inhibitors on Phase Stability of Alkali-Activated Slag against Chloride Binding and Natural Carbonation
Publication: Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering
Volume 31, Issue 8
Abstract
Nitrate and nitrite-based corrosion inhibitors have been studied for decades for mitigating corrosion of steel embedded in ordinary portland cement (OPC) concrete; however, few studies are available regarding the effect of nitrate or nitrite on the performance of alkali-activated binders. This work, for the first time, investigates the influence of three nitrate-containing activators (i.e., sodium nitrate, magnesium nitrate, and aluminum nitrate, each mixed with sodium hydroxide solution) on the strength development, pore structure, phase assemblage, and phase stability of alkali-activated slag (AAS) binders upon exposure to chloride and natural carbonation. The results show that the addition of nitrate, regardless of its form, does not substantially alter the type of main reacted phases, i.e., calcium-aluminosilicate-hydrate (C-A-S-H) and Mg-Al layered double hydroxides (LDHs), in AAS; however, the addition of aluminum nitrate improves its compressive strength, boosts the formation of Ca-Al LDHs (AFm-type phase), and likely inserts nitrate anions in the interlayer of formed Ca-Al or Mg-Al LDHs. The findings suggest that the nitrate-intercalated Ca-Al LDHs and/or Mg-Al LDHs, if formed to some extent, can potentially release nitrate ions during chloride binding and carbonation, working as a smart corrosion inhibitor.
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Acknowledgments
The authors would like to thank the financial support from the Hong Kong Research Grants Council (Project No. 27204818) and National Natural Science Foundation of China (Project No. 51808475). Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the sponsors.
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Published In
Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering
Volume 31 • Issue 8 • August 2019
Copyright
©2019 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Dec 28, 2018
Accepted: Mar 26, 2019
Published online: May 25, 2019
Published in print: Aug 1, 2019
Discussion open until: Oct 25, 2019
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