One-part blast furnace slag mortars activated with almond-shell biomass ash (ABA): A new 100% waste-based material

[EN] The use of almond-shell biomass ash (ABA) as an alkali source in one-part blast furnace slag (BFS) mortars activation was investigated for the first time. The chemical composition of ABA revealed high alkalinity ash to be composed mainly of K2O and CaO. The one-part 100% waste-based mortars and pastes were studied by mechanical and thermogravimetric tests. The compressive strength values of the newly designed materials were higher than the mortars fabricated with commercial products (36.4 versus 21.2 MPa). The formation of C-S-H/(C,K)-A-S-H gels took place in the thermogravimetric studies. The use of ABA in mortars proved an interesting alternative to chemical reagents in alkali activated cements. We wish to thank Borges Agricultural & Industrial Nuts for supplying ash and the Electronic Microscopy Service at the UPV. This research was supported by Spanish governerment MINECO/FEDER (Project RTI2018-097612-B-C21). Soriano Martinez, L.; Font-Pérez, A.; Tashima, MM.; Monzó Balbuena, JM.; Borrachero Rosado, MV.; Paya Bernabeu, JJ. (2020). One-part blast furnace slag mortars activated with almond-shell biomass ash (ABA): A new 100% waste-based material. Materials Letters. 272:1-4. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matlet.2020.127882 Peys, A., Rahier, H., & Pontikes, Y. (2016). Potassium-rich biomass ashes as activators in metakaolin-based inorganic polymers. Applied Clay Science, 119, 401-409. doi:10.1016/j.clay.2015.11.003 Font, A., Soriano, L., Moraes, J. C. B., Tashima, M. M., Monzó, J., Borrachero, M. V., & Payá, J. (2017). A 100% waste-based alkali-activated material by using olive-stone biomass ash (OBA) and blast furnace slag (BFS). Materials Letters, 203, 46-49. doi:10.1016/j.matlet.2017.05.129 De Moraes Pinheiro, S. M., Font, A., Soriano, L., Tashima, M. M., Monzó, J., Borrachero, M. V., & Payá, J. (2018). Olive-stone biomass ash (OBA): An alternative alkaline source for the blast furnace slag activation. Construction and Building Materials, 178, 327-338. doi:10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2018.05.157 Alonso, M. M., Gascó, C., Morales, M. M., Suárez-Navarro, J. A., Zamorano, M., & Puertas, F. (2019). Olive biomass ash as an alternative activator in geopolymer formation: A study of strength, radiology and leaching behaviour. Cement and Concrete Composites, 104, 103384. doi:10.1016/j.cemconcomp.2019.103384 Statistical Yearbook, International Nut & Dried Fruit Council (INC), 2018. https://www.nutfruit.org/industry/technical-resources?category=statistical-yearbooks (a