Effect of boron oxide on stability of high-ferrite Portland cement clinker in low-temperature calcination.

This study delves into the challenges posed by the low-temperature calcination of high-ferrite Portland cement (HFPC) clinker and explores the potential of boron oxide (BO) as a stabilizing agent. Clinker production is a major contributor to global carbon dioxide emissions, and finding sustainable solutions is paramount. At 1350 °C, the HFPC clinker exhibits severe pulverization due to the metastable nature of the CS phase formed at low temperature. To address these challenges, various stabilizing agents, including KO + NaO, barium carbonate (BaCO), calcium fluoride (CaF), and BO, were investigated. KO + NaO, BaCO, and BO exhibited promising stabilization effects, although KO + NaO negatively impacted the stability, and BaCO resulted in significant retardation. Consequently, BO was chosen as the preferred stabilizing agent for the low-temperature calcination of HFPC clinker. However, it was observed that the BO content should not exceed 1% to prevent destabilization of the CS phase, which affects early-stage strength development. This research contributes to the understanding of HFPC clinker stability under low-temperature conditions and provides a potential avenue for reducing energy consumption and carbon emissions in HFPC clinker production.