Characterization and properties of portland cement composites incorporating zinc-iron oxide nanoparticles

The present work exposes preliminary results concerning ordinary Portland cement (OPC) blended with oxide fumes produced in steel smelting plants and known as electric arc furnace dust (EAFD). After acid treatment of the EAFD, the powder obtained was formed basically of nanometric particles of ZnFe2O4. The incorporation of EAFD to OPC produced a small retardation of the setting process. Nevertheless, after 7 days the compressive strength of the OPC/EAFD pastes was superior and after 28 days the extent of hydration in OPC and OPC/EAFD pastes was equivalent. The present results indicate that a compressive strength of 72 MPa can be attained after 42 days for OPC doped with 10 wt% of EAFD.