Fly ash as a raw material for low-carbon cement clinkers and its radiological properties

Abstract

Potential comprehensive solutions in order to protect environment is the synthesis of alternative mineral binders such as belite-sulfoaluminate cement clinkers, which are considered as energy and carbon reducing, allowing the substitution of natural raw materials with secondary ones. In this study, three different samples of fly ash (FA) from "Nikola Tesla" Thermal power plant (Serbia) were used in clinker synthesis with the targeted phase composition of 65 wt.% belite, 20 wt.% calcium sulfoaluminate and 5 wt.% ferrite. Fly ashes and cement clinkers were investigated in terms of physical–chemical, mineralogical and also radiological characterization. Results showed that incorporation of fly ash in raw mixture resulted in achieving the targeted phase composition of cement clinkers with satisfactory radiological properties.